Fatal police aircraft crash in Hua Hin involved DHC6-400 Twin Otter
The fatal aircraft crash in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan, involved a DHC6-400 Twin Otter – an aircraft that was commissioned into service by the Police Aviation Division in 2020.
The Royal Thai Police (RTP) announced that the aircraft went down during a test flight operation on Friday morning, which was being conducted in preparation for a parachute training drill.
Five police officers were reportedly killed, while one pilot was severely injured and was taken to Hua Hin Hospital for treatment. Investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the accident.
Citing information from the Police Aviation Division website, the DHC6-400 Twin Otter is the 36th aircraft model in service with the RTP. Three units of this model were commissioned in 2020.
The DHC6-400 is a small, multi-purpose utility aircraft manufactured by Viking Air of Canada. It is equipped with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engines and features the Honeywell Primus Apex avionics system. It is capable of short take-off and landing (STOL) operations.
The aircraft can carry up to 19 passengers and can be modified to accommodate up to four hospital beds, along with seats for doctors and nurses. It has a maximum cruising speed of 182 knots.
The DHC6-400 Twin Otter can be adapted for various missions, including airborne troop deployment, personnel transport, medical evacuation, equipment transport, and search and rescue operations.
The aircraft was based at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok.
