Aviation Meterorology - Essay Example

The state run Lao Airline is one of the airlines that have witnessed an accident blamed on bad weather. This discourse seeks to analyze the Lao plane crash in the context of the meteological factors. Airplane crashes are a rare occurrence all over the world. Gorham (2013) attributes this to the fact that it is the safest mode of transport today with a lot of safety measures instilled within the industry. Any airplane accident regardless of how small it may be tends to attract a lot of public attention.

The media, for example, tend to focus much on airplane accidents more than any other accident. This is because it is a very rare occurrence (NASA, 2011). Nevertheless, like the other transport means, airplanes also do experience mishaps resulting in accidents. As earlier mentioned most airplane accidents are very tragic with a minimal chance of survival. The recent Lao Plane crash that killed all 44 passengers on board plus the five plane crews is a case in point (news.com.au, 2013). Reports indicate that poor weather has been one of the the leading causes of airplane accidents.

The ATR-72-600 passenger airplane operated by the Lao Airline crashed on October 16, 2013. The accident has been blamed on poor weather. Spamer (2013) notes that on the fateful day, the Lao Airline departed from Vientiane, Laos to Pakse, Laos. The airplane had 44 passengers on board at the time and five crews. In total, the airplane carried 49 people and was en route to Pakse. Unfortunately, the plane crashed in poor weather before landing at Pakse (Head, 2013). Reports indicate that scheduled flight was delayed at Nari because of a heavy tropical storm that had hit the central and southern provinces of the country.

After waiting for the weather to clear, the plane finally took off en route to its destination. Eyewitnesses indicated that the ATR 72 plane was just about to land on Pakse’s runway 15 in very poor weather but could not