Ban Xon - Pha Khao

On February 4, 1972 at 12:00 AM, Ban Xon - Pha Khao experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou, operated by Air America, with the event recorded near Pha Khao Bolikhamxai Province.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

38 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 37 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 2.6%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 34, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. On final approach to Pha Khao Airstrip (LS-14), obstruction was sighted on the runway and the captain decided to make a go-around. For unknown reason, the left engine failed to respond and the aircraft stalled and struck the runway surface. It bounced heavily, went out of control and veered off runway. It lost its undercarriage and its right wing before coming to rest. All 34 passengers, Laotian military personnel, were evacuated while all a crew member was killed, three other being injured. Crew: Gordon V. Smith, pilot, D. M. Houston, copilot, M. S. Bailey, flight engineer, Khamouth Sousadalay, kicker. †

Aircraft reference details include registration 393, MSN 51, year of manufacture 1962.