Chiang Mai, (Thailand) , Jan 29 : Two pilots were killed after a Royal Thai Air Force training aircraft crashed in a forested area of Chiang Mai’s Chom Thong district on Thursday morning, local media reported.
According to reports from Thairath newspaper, the AT-6 combat trainer went down around 10:50 am local time (03:50 GMT) near Ban Huai Muang Fang Sai in the Mae Soi subdistrict during a routine training flight.
Emergency services were immediately dispatched, and the aircraft reportedly caught fire upon impact. Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames, allowing officials to safely access the crash site, where the bodies of the two pilots were later recovered.
Local media, including Amarin TV, identified the victims as Royal Thai Air Force pilots Bom and Johnny. The aircraft involved was a Beechcraft AT-6TH Wolverine, a light attack and training plane operated by Wing 41 of the Thai Air Force.
The AT-6TH is a recently commissioned model that has become a key component of the Royal Thai Air Force fleet. Introduced to replace older aircraft, it is designed for a variety of missions, including both combat training and light attack operations.
Provincial authorities and the Royal Thai Air Force have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. Until recently, the Air Force operated eight U.S.-made AT-6 aircraft, with additional planes delivered in 2025, the local media reported. (UNI)
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