Phuket Plane crash: One Two Go Airlines, flight OG269
When Hell hits Paradise:
As I obliviously embarked on a motorbike venture late Sunday afternoon to explore Gulf of Thailand’s unseen coastal route, 89 unfortunate individuals had just met their fate at Phuket International Airport (HKT), one of Thailand’s most tragic plane incidents in recent times.
Though it is too early to speculate the exact causes of the crash–as to what extent was factor of the heavy monsoon storm and dangerous reported wind sheer at the time of the accident, and whether or not it was a result of last minute error-mis-judgement or perhaps even fatigue of the retired Air force, senior Indonesian captain who, though was the veteran pilot and a flight instructor of the budget Thai airline who led the operation of the 20 year old+ MD82 aircraft, various reports are painting an overworked state of both the deceased pilot as well as his Thai co-pilot who had apparently worked 8 days straight prior to the crash.
Some reports are even saying that the plane was attempting to re accelerate and abort a supposed confirmed landing, before it skidded, bounced, broke in half and the rest is statistics: 84 of the the 123 passengers as well as 5 of 7 crew members perished almost instantly after the skidding plane crashed into some trees and wall off the runway–an unfortunate end for many brought by scourging fuel tank explosion fire and smoke.
The 36 survivors were quite lucky to evacuate the plane in time, but it’s still quite sad to think about the majority victims who had no chance of escape and likely didn’t even know what hit them–when the central fuel tank exploded, we’re talking about temperatures in excess of 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the victims, an overwhelming amount of foreign national holiday makers, have been identified / claimed by now by their respected family members and embassies and now it’s all speculation and conflicting reports, but so it is, the black box will shed light eventually.
For the full story, thread, commentary, and updates, be sure to see this FLight OG269 thread
To fly or not to fly?
It’s standard for people to fear flying after such tragedies, even though statistically and historically aircraft have provided fatalities and incidents much less frequent than wheeled motor vehicles.
However, I personally think statistics are meaningless and irrelevant as far as the fear of flying, particularly if a fear of driving is non existent. The thing about flying is we all put our lives in the hands of somebody we’ve likely never met or seen, all on the faith that the captain and crew are capable, alert, and in a reliable state of mind to make the best decisions during the flight. Factors such as fatigue, being over-worked, neglecting of basic safety standards, protocol, and measures are all in the hands of other people who we blindly depend on.
When people get behind the wheel, they’re much more comfortable and opt to trust their own fate in their own hands or at least with someone they can see and perhaps know (though that’s not to say I trust half of the drivers I’ve encountered here in Thailand–motorcycle, van, and taxi)
The scary thing about business, particularly in concern with transport, the underlying truth, often unseen from the surface, is the more corners are cut and expenses reduced, the more profit overall for the business. Sadly, maintaining the highest standard of safety at all times is a lot more expensive than cutting a few corners here and there though a CEO or chairman will never likely admit so openly.
With that said, with all the protocol and technology of today, flying is generally low risk overall, but that’s not to say you won’t happen upon a 20 year old aircraft model with a traceable crash track record, operated by overworked and fatigued pilot and crew next time you set to the skies..And you might never know such factors or details, until it was too late.
If, I haven’t been successful in exploiting your fear, than see this page on the world’s latest plane crashes
Bon Voyage!
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