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Date : Friday, 25 April 2025 Location : Off Hua Hin Airport (HHQ/VTPH), Cha-am, Phetchaburi, Thailand Aircraft : Viking DHC-6-400 Twin Otter Operator : Royal Thai Police Wing Registration : 36964 Tragedy struck Friday morning when a Royal Thai Police Twin Otter aircraft crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Hua Hin Airport. The aircraft, conducting a test flight, carried six personnel — three pilots, two mechanics, and one engineer — all of whom lost their lives in the accident. The aircraft reportedly experienced an engine failure on the right side (no.2 engine) during initial climb, leading to a loss of control. Eyewitnesses and preliminary reports suggest the aircraft spun nose-down and broke apart upon impact with the sea. The aircraft, registered as RTP964 and manufactured in 2017, was completely destroyed. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engines. Weather conditions at the time were reported to be calm with good visibility, indicating that mechan...

Date : April 17, 2025 Location : Near Corozal, Belize Aircraft : Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX Operator : Tropic Air Flight : 9N711 Occupants : 14 Fatalities : 1 (Hijacker) Injuries : 3 (including pilot and passengers) Departure airport : Corozal Airport (CZH/MZCZ) Destination airport : San Pedro Airport (SPR/MZSP) A dramatic mid-air hijacking unfolded over Belize on Thursday morning when Tropic Air flight 9N711, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX En route from Corozal to San Pedro, was commandeered by a knife-wielding passenger. The hijacker, identified as 49-year-old Akinyela Sawa Taylor, reportedly demanded that the aircraft be flown to the United States. The pilot, Howell Grange, managed to keep the aircraft airborne for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes while under duress. During the incident, Taylor allegedly attacked fellow passengers, stabbing at least one person in the back and injuring another. Grange and two passengers sustained injuries in the course of the event. As fuel leve...

Date : Sunday, April 13, 2025 Location : Salzgitter, Lower Saxony, Germany Time : 09:43 local time Aircraft : Piper PA-60-601P Aerostar (Registration: D-ICEL) Occupants : 2 Fatalities : 2 Phase of Flight : Initial Climb Nature of Flight : Private A privately operated Piper PA-60-601P Aerostar crashed shortly after takeoff from Salzgitter-Drütte Airfield (EDVS) on Sunday morning, resulting in the deaths of both occupants on board. The aircraft came down on the premises of the Salzgitter steel plant, where it was completely destroyed upon impact. Initial reports indicate that the aircraft pitched up sharply after departure before crashing. An eyewitness described the aircraft's rapid climb followed by a loss of control before impact. The cause of the accident remains under investigation. The crash occurred during favorable weather conditions. METAR reports from nearby airports indicated clear skies (CAVOK), light winds (5-6 knots), and temperatures between 15°C and 18°C around the ti...

Date : Saturday, April 12, 2025 Location : Near Copake, Columbia County, New York Aircraft : Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 Solitaire Registration : N635TA Operator : Dynamic Spine Solutions LLC A Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 Solitaire aircraft crashed near Copake, New York, on Saturday afternoon, resulting in the tragic loss of all six people on board. The aircraft was En route from White Plains–Westchester County Airport (KHPN) in New York to Norwood Memorial Airport (KOWD) in Massachusetts when the incident occurred. Initial reports suggest the pilot was attempting to divert to Columbia County Airport (1B1) near Hudson, NY, shortly before the crash. The aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact. Emergency services responded swiftly to the scene after reports of a downed plane around 12:05 PM local time. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially stated there were two occupants aboard, but later confirmed that six individuals were on the aircraft. The Mitsubishi MU-2B-40 Solitaire, a twin-e...

Philippine Airlines flight PR102 diverted to Tokyo due to smoke in the cabin. No fire was found, and all 369 passengers landed safely April 10, 2025 – A Philippine Airlines Boeing 777-3F6ER, operating as flight PR102 from Manila to Los Angeles, declared an emergency while En route over the Pacific Ocean due to reports of smoke in the cabin. The incident occurred at 02:20 Japan Standard Time (17:20 UTC on April 9), prompting the crew to divert to Tokyo's Haneda International Airport (HND). The aircraft, registered as RP-C7782, landed safely at 03:30. Emergency response teams inspected the plane upon arrival, but no evidence of smoke or fire was found. A female passenger reportedly felt unwell during the incident, though no serious injuries were reported. As a precaution, Haneda’s Runway 34R was temporarily closed. This is not the first time RP-C7782 has experienced an in-flight emergency. On November 17, 2024, the same aircraft, operating as Philippine Airlines flight PR5117 fro...

Aviation accidents, though rare, leave a lasting impact on the industry and the people involved. Here, we highlight the top 10 aviation disasters based on fatalities, as recorded in last five years (2019 - 2024).