Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Brody · Post by **Brody** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 1:10 am

Any of you old timers hear of this or were in country when it happened? I just learned of it today.

Vietnam Airlines Flight 815 was a scheduled Vietnam Airlines flight which crashed on final approach to Phnom Penh International Airport in Cambodia on 3 September 1997. The Soviet-built Tupolev Tu-134B-3 airliner crashed approximately 800 metres (2,600 ft; 870 yd) short of the Phnom Penh runway, killing 65 of the 66 people on board. As of 2023, it remains the deadliest accident in Cambodian history.[1] Upon investigation, the crash was determined to have been the result of improper actions by the pilot.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_A ... Flight_815

Post by **Freightdog** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 2:22 am

The av-geek/masochist in me had read up on it again, since I’ve been here. It was included in briefing materials many years ago when we were temporarily based in south east Asia. A reminder to respect the weather and sub-standard services.

bong.kuit · Post by **bong.kuit** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 4:34 am

The debris was immediately looted iirc, grim stuff.

Brody · Post by **Brody** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 9:23 am

There was a single survivor, a baby pictured here.

Post by **Username Taken** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 11:35 am

I expect that @Felgerkarb would likely know something about this.

Or, perhaps @Ot Mean Loi

Fridaywithmateo · Post by **Fridaywithmateo** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 11:57 am

Brody wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 9:23 am There was a single survivor, a baby pictured here.

Wow ... what a great human interest story it would be if some enterprising reporter tracked this person down and did a "Where are they now" piece.

wolfcreek · Post by **wolfcreek** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 12:29 pm

I was here at the time of the crash, but I don't remember much about it. It was, however, a big news item back in South Korea (where I had been working).

johnny lightning · Post by **johnny lightning** » Thu Nov 09, 2023 9:30 pm

I was in Vietnam at the time and heard plenty about it. I recall people being interviewed at the time saying that kind of aircraft was a "flying brick" and weren't surprised that it went down. Turns out that some guy living near the crash site went scrounging and found one of the black boxes. I think they gave him a hundred bucks or something to turn it over!

Brody · Post by **Brody** » Fri Nov 10, 2023 12:57 am

johnny lightning wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 9:30 pm Turns out that some guy living near the crash site went scrounging and found one of the black boxes. I think they gave him a hundred bucks or something to turn it over!

Yeah, I know we're dealing with dirt poor people but does everything have to be exploited for a fucking buck? Just turn over the fucking black boxes.

#WhatWouldBuddhaDo?

"Cambodia's government offered a reward for the return of the missing flight recorders. The three flight recorders, the CVR, the flight data recorder (FDR), and the quick access recorder (QAR), were all obtained from the villagers for US$10, $200, and $1500, respectively."

hanno · Post by **hanno** » Fri Nov 10, 2023 7:31 am

Brody wrote: ↑Fri Nov 10, 2023 12:57 am
johnny lightning wrote: ↑Thu Nov 09, 2023 9:30 pm Turns out that some guy living near the crash site went scrounging and found one of the black boxes. I think they gave him a hundred bucks or something to turn it over!
Yeah, I know we're dealing with dirt poor people but does everything have to be exploited for a fucking buck? Just turn over the fucking black boxes.

#WhatWouldBuddhaDo?

"Cambodia's government offered a reward for the return of the missing flight recorders. The three flight recorders, the CVR, the flight data recorder (FDR), and the quick access recorder (QAR), were all obtained from the villagers for US$10, $200, and $1500, respectively."

Initial looting of the scene was done by military and police. Once the bodies were removed, villagers looted much of the remaining personal belongings and parts of the aircraft including the flight recorders.

I was in Vietnam at the time. A member of our rugby team was on the plane, so it was quite big news.

Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Re: Vietnam Airlines Flight 815

Who is online

Register/Login to CEO with your Social Media Account: