Flying instructor killed and passenger injured as plane plunges into lake after suffering ‘engine failure’
A FLYING instructor was killed and his passenger injured when their plane crashed into a lake after its engine is believed to have failed.
Pragij Sappipattana, 54, and female pupil Saeng Chantima, 45, were onboard the Tecnam P92 JS aircraft when it came down in Thailand this morning.
They were travelling from Samut Sakhon province to Chiang Mai when police believe their engine cut out.
Witnesses reported they saw the plane flying low before hearing a loud crash when it plunged into the private fishing lake Samut Sakhon.
Despite fears the wreckage would explode, brave villagers jumped into the water to rescue Saeng but Pragij had already died at the scene.
The plane had earlier taken off from an airstrip at the Best Ocean Golf Course, the headquarters of the ‘Friends Flying Club’, which Pragij managed, at around 6.30am.
Local police said they received a report of the crash at around 7.00am.
The plane was seen near the edge of the pond, with the damaged cabin and tail jutting out from under the surface.
Khok Kham police and medics arrived at 7:40am to pull out Pragij’s body and rush Saeng to the Samut Sakhon Hospital.
In a statement, the Samut Sakhon Provincial Security Office said: “Khok Kham Police Station investigators have arranged for an autopsy of the deceased and to block the area for an investigation.
Police say officers will question Saeng once she is well enough.
It comes after a packed tourist plane’s engine burst into flames and tyres explode in a horror take off from Thailand.
The pilot had to abruptly abort his attempt to get the plane into the air after flames began spitting from one of the engines.
The aircraft was packed with 309 passengers and 12 crew as it began to move down the runway at Phuket International Airport.
It is reported there was then a “loud bang” as fire began to spit from the engine.
The pilot aborted his takeoff – and everyone on board was forced to wait for a new plane.
Dramatic pictures and footage showed the Boeing 767-306ER hit by sudden fire due to an “engine surge”.