Thai Airways International Flight 311

The primary cause of this accident was something which could strike any aircraft at any time, anywhere in the world.

For years, Flight 311 would serve as a case study for airline pilots worldwide and as a cautionary tale for anyone flying into mountainous areas.

This is the story of Thai Airways Flight 311.

July 31st, 1992.

10.30 in the morning.

Thai Airways flight 311 lifted off from the runway at Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport in Thailand and headed northwest for the three-hour journey to Kathmandu in Nepal.

On board were 99 passengers and 14 crew.

The passengers were a mixture of Nepalese people returning home, Thai nationals, and tourists from 12 countries around the world, including the United States, Japan, Belgium, Germany, and Finland, among others.