Long Tieng - Sam Thong

On August 19, 1969 at 05:00 PM, Long Tieng - Sam Thong experienced a crash involving Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter), operated by Air America, with the event recorded near Long Tieng Xieng Khouang Province.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a plain, valley crash site.

13 people were known to be on board, 13 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 12, passenger fatalities: 12, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The single engine airplane departed Long Tieng Airfield at 1655LT on a special flight to Sam Thong under the provisions of contract no. AID-439-342. Five minutes later, during an en route climb, the aircraft was observed to perform an erratic maneuver for the nature of flight involved and crashed into a hillside. All 12 passengers, Laotian citizens, and the pilot Cpt Ralph S. Davis, were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Aircraft reference details include registration N196X, MSN 596, year of manufacture 1966.