Investigation Summary
The flight from Taipei was largely uneventful until the approach to Hong Kong, where Typhoon Anita was producing heavy rain and visibility of approximately 2 km. The First Officer was flying the aircraft manually from the right seat while the Captain monitored the approach and handled radio communications. During the ILS approach to runway 31, the aircraft remained within the safety funnel until approximately 3 miles from touchdown. At 1.5 miles, the Precision Approach Radar (PAR) controller advised the crew they were slightly right of the centerline. In response, the First Officer made a series of abrupt heading changes, first 14 degrees to the left and then back to the right. During these maneuvers, the aircraft descended below the 415-foot decision height. The Captain, preoccupied with seeking visual reference, failed to monitor the altimeter effectively. By the time the Captain noticed the sea only 100 feet below through the cockpit window, it was too late to recover. The aircraft struck the water 3,925 feet short of the runway threshold. The impact caused the starboard wing and undercarriage to break away, which ripped open the fuselage and caused the aircraft to sink rapidly.
Final Conclusions
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department concluded that the accident resulted from a combination of pilot error and adverse weather. The crew did not follow Thai Airways' specific procedures for a 'Captain monitored' approach in low visibility, leading to inadequate monitoring of the flight path. The First Officer mishandled the aircraft by executing sharp turns at low altitude, which, combined with probable downdrafts, resulted in a high rate of descent that went unnoticed until impact was inevitable.
Video Analysis
Thai Airways International Flight 601 Aftermath Footage — Historical footage showing the wreckage of the Thai Airways Caravelle in the waters off Kai Tak Airport following the 1967 crash.
If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Viggo Thorsen, age 43.
First Officer
Sanit Khemanand, age 50.
Systems & Failure Modes
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
A radio navigation system that provides short-range guidance to aircraft to allow them to approach a runway at night or in bad weather. The crew failed to stay on the glide slope provided by this system.
Precision Approach Radar (PAR)
A radar guidance system used by air traffic controllers to provide lateral and vertical guidance to pilots. Heavy rain caused interference with the PAR display during the final mile of the approach.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was a Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III named 'Chiraprapa'.
- 02The accident occurred during the influence of Typhoon Anita.
- 0324 of the 73 passengers perished; all 7 crew members survived, though some survivors sustained injuries.
- 04The aircraft sank rapidly after the undercarriage ripped open the underside of the fuselage.
- 05The Captain had 3,700 hours of experience on the Caravelle type.
- 06A third pilot was present in the cockpit acting as a systems operator.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Standard Operating Procedure Reinforcement
The investigation highlighted the critical need for strict adherence to 'Captain monitored' approach procedures during low visibility to ensure one pilot remains focused on instruments while the other seeks visual cues.