Black Hawk down: Prayut orders chopper crash probe

[Nereus]

This happened a couple of days ago. Incredible that no one was killed!
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Black Hawk down: Prayut orders chopper crash probe

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... rash-probe

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday ordered a formal investigation into the crash landing of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk in Songkhla yesterday which left seven people on board injured, including the 4th Army Region commander.

In his capacity as defence minister, Gen Prayut requested the probe and expressed his concerns over the health of the seven injured military officials while also ordering special care for them, said Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich, spokesman for the Ministry of Defence.

The helicopter reportedly encountered an engine problem while flying over tambon Wang Yai in Thepha district of Songkhla, forcing the pilot to make an emergency crash landing in a rubber plantation in Ban Khlong Yon village, according to Gen Santipong Thampiya, a spokesman for the Royal Thai Army.

The seven people on board, namely Lt Gen Kriangkrai Srirak -- commander of the 4th Army Region -- two pilots, two mechanics, a cameraman and an aide-de-camp, were rescued shortly after the crash and rushed to a nearby hospital, said Col Pramote Prom-in, a 4th Army Corps spokesman.

Lt Gen Kriangkrai sustained a broken pelvis and suffered some internal bleeding while his aide-de-camp has a broken arm and broken jaw and the others were slightly injured, said a source.

The seven were first rushed to Thepha Hospital, the district hospital closest to the crash site, before Lt Gen Kriangkrai was later transferred to Songklanagarind Hospital in Songkhla, said the same source.

The 4th Army commander, who was on an official trip to inspect border provinces, left Sena Narong military camp in Hat Yai district of Songkhla in the helicopter heading to Sirindhorn camp in Pattani's Yarang district and Inkhayutthaborihan camp in Nong Chik district of the same province, said Col Pramote.

The Black Hawk that crash-landed yesterday had been in service for 17 years and was from an army squadron that originally had 16 Black Hawks, said another source, adding one had already been lost in a previous crash.

Following yesterday's incident, the squadron now has 14 helicopters, while four out of nine refurbished Black Hawks in a new procurement are expected to arrive sometime next year, said the same source.

Back in 2005, each of the Black Hawks, supplied by Sikorsky Aircraft, an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut, cost 500 million baht, said the source.

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A rescue team lifts injured passengers from the crashed army helicopter in Thepha district of Songkhla yesterday morning. SUPPLIED PHOTO

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[handdrummer]

Are they checking the maintenance of the remaining helicopters?

[centermid7]

It's been a few years ago now but they had a chopper go down, sent out another helicopter to hunt for that one, it also went down so they sent a third helicopter out and it crashed as well.

[Nereus]

Are they checking the maintenance of the remaining helicopters?

There are endless reason why helicopters crash, but it is much easier to just blame the engine(s).

The helicopter reportedly encountered an engine problem

[Nereus]

The Phi is not happy:
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Truck carrying crashed Black Hawk involved in road accident

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... d-accident

An army truck carrying the wrecked Black Hawk helicopter away from its crash-landing site in Songkhla was involved in an accident while passing another trailer truck in Khao Chaison district, Phatthalung province, on Sunday evening.

The accident was reported to Khao Chaison police about 6.45pm.

The army semi-trailer was taking the wreckage from Thepha district to an aviation centre in Lop Buri province for examination.

It was travelling in the right lane on the north-bound side of the Phetkasem highway in tambon Khao Chaison.

The driver told police the other trailer truck was on his left and it veered suddenly to the right. It hit the side of the army truck, which then veered off the road and hit a tree on the highway median strip.

Sanit Suayngam, 52, the driver of the other truck, said he was trying to avoid hitting a pickup in front of him whose driver had suddenly hit the brakes, and he sideswiped the army truck.

Police said only slight damage was done to the two trucks. Nobody was injured. Mr Sanit was charged with reckless driving.

The army trailer truck continued on to an army camp in Phatthalung and stayed overnight. It was to continue to Lop Buri on Monday.

The Black Hawk helicopter developed an engine problem shortly after takeoff while flying over tambon Wang Yai in Songkhla's Thepha district on Friday morning. The pilot made an emergency crash landing into trees at a rubber plantation.

All seven people on board were injured - Lt Gen Kriangkrai Srirak, who is commander of the 4th Army Region, two pilots, two mechanics, a cameraman and an aide-de-camp. They were rescued from the wreckage and rushed to hospital shortly after the crash. Lt Gen Kriangkrai reportedly suffered a broken pelvis.

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he cab of the army trailer truck carrying the crashed Black Hawk helicopter rests against a tree on the median strip of the Phetkasem highway after it was sideswiped by another truck on Sunday evening in Phatthalung's Khao Chaison district. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)

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