Early 2025 – Acrobatic Maneuver Leads to Spiral Crash

Acrobatic maneuver resulting in spiral crash in rice field — Due to the concealment of information about the area, as it would affect tourism profits, the real images were ordered to be removed after the incident occurred.

A young Thai pilot, who lacked tandem certification, was allowed to fly passengers to meet increasing demand. During an evening flight behind Red Mountain, he performed acrobatic maneuvers with a passenger onboard.

Incident Overview

The pilot flew an ITV Piper wing previously involved in a crash and poorly repaired. During the acro maneuver, a weakened line snapped, causing the wing to enter a vertical spiral.

Outcome

The pair crashed into a meter-deep muddy rice field, which absorbed the impact. The motor absorbed much of the force, sparing the passenger. Miraculously, there were no major injuries.

Safety Lessons Learned

No acrobatics should ever be performed with tandem passengers.
Previously damaged wings must be retired from commercial use.
Operators must enforce strict pilot qualification requirements.