An AT-6TH aircraft from Wing 41 crashed in Chom Thong district during a training flight, resulting in the deaths of both the instructor and pilot. Authorities are rushing to recover the bodies and clear the area, fearing a secondary explosion due to unstable conditions at the crash site.
On 29 Jan 2026, an AT-6TH aircraft from Wing 41 crashed in a forested area of Village No. 6, Huai Muang Sai Lang, a remote forested zone far from the community in Mae Soi subdistrict, Chom Thong district, Chiang Mai province. Two fatalities were confirmed: Wing Commander Samatcha Khunmat, the flight instructor and pilot number one, and Squadron Leader Korawit Jankid, pilot number two.
Reporters who visited the crash site observed that officials from all departments, especially senior Air Force management, had inspected the area. They have cordoned off the scene to await forensic teams to collect evidence, along with Air Force experts who will conduct further examination.
The bodies of the pilots and instructor were found still strapped to their aircraft seats. Recovery has not yet been possible because the ejection system includes explosive components, preventing officials from moving the bodies. The area remains cordoned off pending clearance by specialists, after which the bodies will be removed for autopsy.
Army rescue personnel briefly explained that preliminary investigation shows the plane crashed upside down. Although this aircraft model allows pilots to eject, the inverted position prevented both the instructor and pilot from ejecting. This aligns with local residents’ accounts of hearing the plane circling during training since the morning before the accident occurred.
At 14:13, authorities successfully recovered the bodies of both pilots and transported them from the crash site. One official led the procession carrying a single incense stick ahead of the line before the bodies were placed into two vans for identification at Wing 41 Hospital.
Following the body recovery, the next step is to salvage the aircraft wreckage. Air Force experts are flying in from Bangkok to retrieve the black box to investigate the cause of the accident.
In addition to recovering the black box, they will proceed to collect all aircraft parts. Wing 41 personnel have prepared steel plates and other recovery equipment since 16:00, planning to continue salvage operations through the night with the aid of field beds, tents, and night lighting.