Vientiane – Xieng Khouang – Hanoi

On May 25, 1998 at 10:20 AM, Vientiane – Xieng Khouang – Hanoi experienced a crash involving Yakovlev Yak-40, operated by Lao Aviation, with the event recorded near Long Tieng Vientiane Province.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

26 people were known to be on board, 26 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 4, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 22, passenger fatalities: 22, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft was chartered by the Lao Air Force to carry a delegation from the Vietnam Air Force who took part to a military conference in Vientiane. On board were high ranking officers from the Vietnam Army Forces, among them General Ðào Tr<U+1ECD>ng L<U+1ECB>ch. On the leg from Vientiane to Xieng Khouang, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet in reduced visibility due to heavy rain falls, the aircraft struck tree tops and crashed on the slope of a mountain located near Long Tieng. The wreckage was found in a wooded area at an altitude of 1,800 metres. All 26 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration RDPL-34001, MSN 9 43 18 35, year of manufacture 1974.