No fatalities

Runway excursion at Muang Hein (XW-PBO)

Saigon, VietnamLanding (descent or approach)

On September 20, 1964, a Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer (registration XW-PBO) operated by Bird & Sons was involved in an aviation accident near Saigon, Vietnam during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft skidded off the runway due to reduced friction on the wet landing surface. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 4 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft experienced a runway excursion after landing on a wet surface near Saigon, resulting in the total loss of the airframe.

What happened

During an arrival at Muang Hein, located in the outskirts of Saigon, an aircraft encountered difficulties immediately following touchdown. The runway surface was notably wet at the time of the incident. As the plane completed its landing, it began to skid and subsequently drifted off the side of the active runway.

The movement continued until the vehicle reached a complete stop away from the paved surface. While the event resulted in no injuries to those on board, the impact or the nature of the excursion led to the aircraft being declared a total loss.

Findings

  • The primary factor contributing to the loss of directional control was the wet condition of the runway during the landing phase.

Probable cause

The aircraft skidded off the runway due to reduced friction on the wet landing surface.