Investigation Summary
Flight 864 was on the Bombay to Bangkok leg of a multi-stop journey to Tokyo. The aircraft involved, a Boeing 707-366C named 'Ramesses II', had its maiden flight on 25 August 1973 and was delivered to EgyptAir on 20 September 1973. During the approach to runway 21L, the crew was utilizing a non-directional beacon (NDB) for an ADF approach. Despite reporting the runway in sight and receiving landing clearance, the aircraft was significantly below the required glide path. The Boeing 707 struck a textile factory located approximately two kilometers northeast of the runway threshold. The crash occurred at 03:45 local time, resulting in a massive explosion that destroyed the weaving mill and caused significant ground casualties. At the time, it was the deadliest aviation accident in Thai history.
Final Conclusions
The official inquiry attributed the accident to pilot error, specifically the crew's failure to maintain proper vertical speed and monitor the aircraft's height during the final approach. The crew continued their descent below the minimum safe altitude until ground impact. While EgyptAir contended that the Bangkok control tower provided inadequate weather information, the primary cause remained the crew's operational errors during the instrument approach.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
Aftermath of EgyptAir Flight 864 Crash in Bangkok — Archival news footage showing the wreckage of the EgyptAir Boeing 707 and the destroyed weaving mill in Bangkok following the 1976 disaster.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Systems & Failure Modes
ADF (Automatic Direction Finder)
The crew was performing a non-precision approach using the 'BK' non-directional beacon, which requires strict altitude monitoring.
Altimeter
The crew failed to properly monitor their height, leading to a descent below the minimum safe altitude.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was named 'Ramesses II' and was only three years old at the time of the crash.
- 02The accident resulted in 19 ground fatalities, bringing the total death toll to 71.
- 03Weather at the time included visibility of 4,000 meters and a low cloud base of 300 meters.
- 04The crash was the deadliest aviation disaster in Thailand until the 1980s.
- 05The flight was a long-haul service from Rome to Tokyo with scheduled stops in Cairo, Bombay, Bangkok, and Manila.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Approach Monitoring Reinforcement
The accident highlighted the dangers of non-precision approaches in low visibility and the necessity for strict adherence to minimum descent altitudes (MDA).
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Inadequate Weather Reporting Allegation
Reference ↗EgyptAir officially disputed the findings by claiming the Bangkok control tower failed to provide the crew with sufficient weather information, though this did not change the official determination of pilot error.