Bangkok Airways Flight 266

{{short description|2009 aviation accident}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}

{{Infobox aircraft occurrence

| occurrence_type = Runway excursion

| image = Where it sits atr72.jpg

| alt =

| caption = The ATR 72-500's destroyed fuselage, seen in July 2013

| date = {{Start date|2009|08|04|df=y}}

| type = Runway excursion on landing

| site = Samui Airport, Thailand

| coordinates = {{coord|09|32|52|N|100|03|44|E|source:cawiki_region:TH_type:airport|display=inline,title}}

| plane1_image = HS-PGL ATR.72-212A Bangkok Aws (spl c-s) BKK 31MAR06 (5934854212).jpg

| plane1_caption = HS-PGL, the aircraft involved in the accident

| aircraft_type = ATR 72-500

| aircraft_name = Pha Ngan

| operator = Bangkok Airways

| tail_number = HS-PGL

| origin = Krabi Airport, Thailand

| destination = Samui Airport, Thailand

| occupants = 72

| passengers = 68

| crew = 4

| injuries = 41

| fatalities = 1

| survivors = 71

}}

Bangkok Airways Flight 266 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Krabi Airport to Samui Airport, Thailand. On 4 August 2009, the aircraft skidded off the runway on landing and crashed into an old and unmanned control tower. One pilot died and 41 other people were injured.{{Cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19901121-0|title=Runway excursion Accident ATR 72-500 (72-212A) HS-PGL, Tuesday 4 August 2009|last=Ranter|first=Harro|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2019-12-11}}

Accident

The aircraft is reported to have skidded off the runway and hit an old, unmanned control tower that was used as a fire-fighting station. The accident happened at around 14:15 local time (07:15 UTC).{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8182962.stm |title=Pilot killed in Thai plane crash |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=4 August 2009 | date=4 August 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090804101641/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8182962.stm| archivedate= 4 August 2009 | url-status= live}} One pilot was reported to have been killed. The co-pilot, who was stuck in the aircraft for more than two hours, was among the last evacuated from the stricken plane. Serious injuries included four passengers – two British, one Italian and one Swiss suffered broken legs, while two other British suffered less severe injuries. The co-pilot also had leg injuries.

A total of 41 people were injured.{{cite web|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/151089/bangkok-airways-plane-crashes-on-samui |title=Fatal Bangkok Airways crash on Samui |work=Bangkok Post |accessdate=4 August 2009}} The METAR in force at the time of the accident was METAR VTSM 040700Z 29015KT 9000 FEW020TCU SCT120 BKN300 31/25 Q1007 A2974 TCU-NW.{{cite web|url=http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/VTSM/2009/8/4/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA&theprefset=SHOWMETAR&theprefvalue=1 |title=History for Sumui, Thailand |publisher=Wunderground |accessdate=4 August 2009}} This translates as METAR for Samui Airport, issued on the 4th of the month at 07:00 UTC, wind at {{convert|15|kn|km/h mph}}, direction 290° visibility {{convert|9|km|mi nmi}}, few clouds at {{convert|2,000|ft|m}}, scattered clouds at {{convert|12,000|ft|m}}, broken clouds at {{convert|30,000|ft|m}}, temperature {{convert|31|C|F}}, dewpoint {{convert|25|C|F}}, altimeter 1007 milibar, towering cumulonimbus to north west.{{cite web|url=http://www.wunderground.com/metarFAQ.asp |title=METAR tutorial|publisher=Wunderground |accessdate=4 August 2009}}

Aircraft

File:Broken atr72 bkk'.jpg

The aircraft involved was an ATR 72-500, registered as HS-PGL,{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/08/04/330551/fatalities-reported-as-bangkok-airways-atr-72-500-skids-off-runway.html |title=Fatalities reported as Bangkok Airways ATR 72–500 skids off runway |publisher=Flightglobal |accessdate=4 August 2009}} msn 670. The aircraft first flew on 6 June 2001 with French registration F-WWER. It entered service with Bangkok Airways on 16 July 2001 re-registered HS-PGL. On 29 May 2006, it entered service with Siem Reap Airways International, returning to Bangkok Airways on 7 January 2009 after Siem Reap Airways International ceased trading. The aircraft was named Pha Ngan,{{cite web|url=http://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-atr-670.htm |title=ATR 42/72 – MSN 670 |publisher=Airfleets |accessdate=4 August 2009}} and had been in service for approx. 20,000 hrs.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

Aftermath

The fuselage of the aircraft spent a few years on roadsides in different parts of Samui before being sunk in October 2013 as part of Majcha Air Samui Artificial Reef Project.

References

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