Thai trainer and Russian student injured in plane crash in Phuket
Engine failure suspected after ultralight aircraft down near local runway
A small plane crashed into roadside woodland in the Paklok sub-district of Phuket yesterday, August 17, leaving two men injured, a Thai trainer and a Russian flying student.
The plane, reportedly belonging to a private company, went down beside a road near a runway at around 4.30 p.m. The victims were identified as 40 year old Thai trainer Surasak Chana and 36 year old Russian flying student Sergei Razukov.
Both men were taken to Thalang Hospital. The Russian man is said to have sustained minor head injuries, while the Thai trainer was reported to be in serious condition with a broken left ankle and a head wound. The condition of both victims has not yet been updated.
The aircraft was identified as an ultralight UM-22 Quicksilver MX II Sprint. According to Channel 7, the airfield is considered suitable for a flying school. The ultralight’s high-lift, single-skin wings allow it to take off in a very short distance and provide stable control at low speeds.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but officers suspect engine failure.
A witness told the Phuket Times Facebook page that he was driving home, just 200 metres from the crash site, when he heard a loud noise. At first, he thought a transformer had exploded, but was shocked to find a damaged aircraft when he went to investigate.
According to the witness, security guards from a nearby community rushed to assist the victims and contacted a rescue foundation and the police.
Another witness reported seeing the aircraft flying very low before hearing an explosion, after which the plane crashed, producing another loud noise.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Thalang District, Siwat Rawangkun, told Matichon that the incident did not involve a small aircraft but rather a paramotor.
In a similar story reported in April, a police plane crahsed into the sea off Cha-am Beach, leading to deaths of six police officers. The incident took place during the flight test before a parachuting training in Hua Hin.
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