What happened
On the day of the accident, a single-engine aircraft departed New Delhi at 08:42 local time, performing an ambulance flight destined for Bangkok. The flight carried a total of five people, including two pilots and three doctors. Following a scheduled refueling stop at Calcutta Airport, the aircraft continued its journey toward Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport.
At 19:03 local time, the flight crew contacted air traffic control to declare an emergency and requested authorization to divert to Kamphaeng Saen Airport. After receiving permission to divert, the crew began their descent. However, at 19:16 local time, the aircraft vanished from radar surveillance.
Search efforts located the wreckage in a wooded area near the threshold of runway 22L approximately 90 minutes after the disappearance, at 20:48 local time. The impact resulted in the destruction of the single-engine aircraft. While all five occupants initially survived the crash with injuries, the copilot later succumbed to his wounds several hours after the event.
Findings
- The crew initiated an emergency descent toward an alternative airport prior to the loss of radar contact.