Thai Navy maritime aircraft sustains minor damage in nose gear-up landing

A Royal Thai Navy (RTN) Fokker F27 200 Maritime Enforcer (ME) aircraft has been temporarily put out of service following a nose gear-up landing at Narathiwat Airport on 11 August.

The aircraft, with registration number 1202, was flying from the U-Tapao naval aviation base on a transportation mission to Narathiwat when it encountered a nose landing gear malfunction on its final approach onto Runway 20.

The RTN’s public affairs office confirmed with Janes on 12 August that there have been no injuries reported among the aircraft’s crew and 10 passengers that were on board at the time of the incident. However, the aircraft sustained unspecified minor damage and will be out of service for an indeterminate amount of time, the service added.

The F27 Maritime 200ME is a twin turboprop high-wing aircraft with a service ceiling of 25,000 ft and a standard range of 2,700 n miles. It can be equipped with depth bombs, mines, and up to four Mk 46 or Sting Ray torpedoes.

Aircraft 1202 is attached to the RTN’s 102 Squadron and is typically deployed by the service for maritime patrol, coastal surveillance, and limited anti-submarine warfare duties. It is equipped with an AN/APS-504 search radar and a Bendix weather radar.