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Like a ‘Roller Coaster’: Survivors of Christmas Plane Crash Describe the Horrifying Experience (See the Pictures)

Dec. 26, 2012 9:38am Liz Klimas

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Survivors of a Christmas Day crash-landing of an airliner in Myanmar told terrifying tales of escape Wednesday as carrier Air Bagan said it had found the plane’s black box and was investigating the accident that killed two people.

Details of the crash remain unclear, though the airline and officials have blamed heavy fog for the aircraft’s crash into a rice paddy field where it burst into flames. Two died and 11 were injured, including four foreigners.

Survivors of Myanmar Air Bagan Plane Crash That Killed Two Describe Escape

This photo taken on December 25, 2012 shows a man walking the fuselage of an Air Bagan passenger plane burn after it crashed near Heho airport in Myanmar’s eastern Shan state. (Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images)

(Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images)

The aging Fokker 100 jet was carrying 71 people, including 48 foreigners, from the city of Yangon via Mandalay to Heho airport, which is the gateway to the popular tourist destination Inle Lake.

“We felt the first bump, then a few big bumps and then (started) sliding very fast,” said 31-year-old Australian advertising executive Anna Bartsch. Her boyfriend, Stuart Benson, described the landing like “a roller coaster” ride.

The plane came to a stop and they felt relief – and then panic.

Watch this report with footage of the debris left on Dec. 26:

“In my window I saw the flames, and it was hot and we knew straight away we didn’t have much time to get out,” Bartsch said during an interview at a Yangon hotel where the airline lodged passengers after evacuating them from the scene.

(Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images)

(Photo: AP)

Passengers rushed up the aisle to the front door, which was initially stuck shut, she said.

“We didn’t know then that the wings had come off,” Bartsch said.

The door was quickly forced open and passengers raced from the plane, some in shock and some suffering smoke inhalation, she said. Once on safe ground, Bartsch said she saw the pilot and co-pilot with bloodied faces and other people with serious burns.

“It’s amazing that the injuries were not more serious,” she said. “It could have been much worse.”

An unidentified injured man who was onboard an Air Bagan passenger place when it made an emergence landing, talks to journalists in Heho, Shan State, Myanmar. (Photo: AP)

Air Bagan said late Tuesday that the plane’s black box will be sent to Singapore to study the cause of the accident.

Air Bagan has said “the plane hit electrical cables about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Heho airport as it descended and landed in rice fields.”

The Information Ministry said the pilot mistook a road near the airport for the runway before stopping in a nearby rice paddy. It was unclear if the plane made its crash landing on the road or the rice field.

A local resident walks past debris from a plane that crash landed the day before near Heho airport in southern Shan state on December 26. (Photo: SOE THAN WIN/AFP/Getty Images)

(Photo: Soe Than WIN/AFP/Getty Images)

All fatalities were Myanmar citizens, including a man riding a motorcycle where the plane came down and a tour guide aboard the plane. There were earlier reports of an 11-year-old child also among the dead.

The accident has raised concerns about the safety standards of Myanmar’s overburdened airlines as foreign visitors have flocked to the country which is emerging from a half-century of military rule.

An officer from Department of Civil Aviation inspects the remains of a plane that crash landed the day before near Heho airport in the southern Shan state on December 26. (Photo: SOE THAN WIN/AFP/Getty Images)

Air Bagan is one of a half dozen private airlines that fly domestic routes in Myanmar. It is a unit of Htoo Trading Company, which is owned by business tycoon Tay Za.

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Comments (44)

bluehen
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 9:19am
@CAVY FROM VA

LOL, your grandmother was an idiot. Unless she is still alive, then she IS an idiot. Everything else about your statement was nonsense.

@WADERTHOMAS

Not sure what the hell you are talking about, but some other bible-thumper was talking about using World Net Daily as a source for news, and I said that it was full of conspiracy theories and garbage. Obviously comprehension is not your strong suit..

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JustPeachy
Posted on December 27, 2012 at 12:08am
How horrifying! Sad for their losses, but it appears to be a miracle so many actually survived! Wow!

I’d be thanking God, but that’s up to them. . .

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Pogue
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 8:48pm
The following is not meant the belittle the suffering and loss of those involved.

Oh My!! An airplane crashed!!!!
We need to keep this from ever happening again!!
Ban Airplanes!
Make air travel illegal!
Put all the air crews in jail! Execute the ground crew!
Let us have an airplane buyback programm, with amnesty.

Make the only method of travel for Government employees to be on foot!
Turn Air Force 1 into rebar!
Squish the Presidential Motorcade into door mats.
Force Elected persons travel to DC in the only real green method ever known to man!
On their own bare feet!

OK! Parody of recent Gun Grabber rhetoric over.
Thanks!

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- SendTheMeteors
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 10:37pm
  Cute post Pogue. If I understand you, you’re are drawing an analogy. Airplanes are dangerous in some sense and sometimes a lot of people die from airplane accidents. You compare that to guns, particularly semiautomatic weapons which also sometimes kill large numbers of people in a short period of time (although, you’ll admit, a lot more people die from guns than from airplane crashes). So, you’re logic goes, if want to ban guns, why not ban airplanes?
  
  Actually, despite the bizarre paranoia here, nobody is trying to ban guns, any more than airplanes.
  
  The question is regulation. Of course, you’d never step on an airplane if you didn’t have confidence the pilot was certified as qualified to operate that airplane, and have some confidence the pilot didn’t have mental issues and wasn’t inclined to fly the airplane into a building or the ground. You wouldn’t get on that airplane if you weren’t confident that airplane didn’t undergo frequent mechanical checks to ensure it was airworthy (and you may have noticed this airplane wasn’t governed by US regulations). In short both the pilot’s training and qualifications and rest time and alcohol consumption before flying is very highly regulated by the government. And so is airplane maintenance. You know why? Because planes – like cars – can kill people.
  
  Guns? Anybody with cash can walk into a gun show and buy one. See the difference?
  
  Report this comment
catsighting
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 8:17pm
Good story. It was nice to read something interesting though sorry for the loss of life. The pilots are hero’s for bringing it down as they did even if it was their error that caused them to crash land.

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- Salamander
  Posted on December 27, 2012 at 12:18am
  I have a feeling that after they hit wires, a loss of lift and gravity brought them down. Not casting aspersions–people make mistakes, but I think the ‘good job’ of the pilots ended some time before the wire strike! By the way, reporters: Was it their 1st attempt, 2nd attempt, 3rd attempt? Was it a precision or non-precision approach? How busy an airfield and does it warrant a Cat III approach or were some of the navaids out of service that day? Were the pilots experienced and did they fly together regularly? Etc. Exactly what was the weather, 100 and 1/4 or zero-zero? It is by the Grace of God that there weren’t more casualties! And, maybe, despite the age of the aircraft, good design allowed it to sustain the crash and hold together as well as it did! If the wings actually separated, it probably absorbed a bunch of energy, but ‘break-away’ wings aren’t a design criteria!
  
  Report this comment
asybot12
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 5:14pm
To all of you mudslingers from both (sadly enough) sides MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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bluehen
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 4:29pm
@TOM K

WND.. Man, you are clearly an efing nutcase. The conspiracy theories that come dribbling out of that rag is unreal, but I am glad I finally found someone that believes in them.. And to think, I almost made it out of my 20′s without meeting someone like you.. One more thing off the bucket list. Let me guess, you too believe that our president isn’t a natural born citizen. I guess I can take solace in knowing that he is your president too for the next 4 years and there will be another democrat in there after that too. Ya know why, because the public, writ-large, isn’t nutty as a $hit house rat like you and your ilk

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- Waderthomas
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 5:19pm
  What?????? If you really think that this article is about some sort of conspiracy then you are the nut job!
  
  Report this comment
- Cavy from VA
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 8:27pm
  I getting really tired of these “Progressive” fools … who think money grows on trees … and in some perverted way, think (if you call it that), that, all the folks who worked hard and made their money are all crooks and only got it by cheating and stealing … well … My Grandmother taught me that it was the fellow who was was overly possesive of things (like everyones money) that was the crook … Don’t trust a man who locks all his $hit up because he knows that if someone LIKE HIM comes along he will steal you blind! Get a freaking calculator … one with lots and lots of zeros … then start figuring things out … soon it will become apparent that things just won’t add up the “progressive” way … then figure what 4 more years of Obummer will do to the country. ME? I’m not worried for me … I’ll be long gone before the bills come due … it’s my poor children and grandchildren who won’t be able to partake of the American Dream … and for what? Because the Stupid Schools could not figure out a way to educate a majority of students in the principals of economics. Progressives are all AIRHEADS … every last one of them.
  
  Sorry to comment off topic but the “Bluehen” is a freaking airhead and I could not help myself!
  
  TEA!!!!!
  
  Report this comment
3Tesla
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 4:13pm
Please Someone !! Tell me Snoopy is OK !!

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ozchambers
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 4:09pm
I am disappointed by the plethora of comments on this story that are seemingly unrelated to the subject matter or are awkwardly attempting to twist the story into a commentary on the U.S. political scene. That same criticism is also leveled at my own post.

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- chips1
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 8:54pm
  We don’t want to talk about a plane crash. We want to talk about Spiderman.
  
  Report this comment
searching for the Truth
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 4:02pm
Cut that ! I didn’t realize there was anyone hurt. Sorry !

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searching for the Truth
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:59pm
Is this anything like the aging planes we have in politics ?

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temple62
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:14pm
Couldn’t our savior Obama the Wonderful have done something to have prevent this accident. I hold him and his kind responsible!

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Leerm
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:58pm
I recently flew and dealt with TSA. I travel with a gun. When checking bags you must declare the weapon and fill out a small card that is then put into your suitcase. While filling out he card they (the airline) grabbed my bag ans snet thru without the card. Knowing the card must be there I said WHOA but too late. The staff(airline) said to just wait 10 minutes and if TSA did call it would be ok. Yeah, I belive that one. I said not good enough I wanted to bag back so it could be ID properly for the TSA. What a mess. 45 minute later I’m in a room with TSA as they search my bag (like I’m the bad guy ) it was not until I got it thru the TSA guys head that the only reason we were there was because I wanted to do right. Not because I did anything wrong. Oh, and I was told that the TSA screenng did not pick up the weapon to begin with. Thats a comforting thought.

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SageInWaiting
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:24pm
The TSA is the greatest airline safety tool that has been developed in years. It, along with airline customer service, has forced many people to avoid air travel unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Fewer passengers, less chance of death. GREAT JOB! You and your unions have saved lives by destroying yet another industry important to the US.

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- 3-Blue
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:51pm
  You’re exactly right. The airlines will certainly not be burdened with my business anymore as I have vowed NOT to EVER fly again unless it is life or death. So far, I’ve had a couple of lovely car trips and it’s not bad at all. In fact, with me, myself in charge of my own safety and itinerary, I feel much safer! To hell with the TSA.
  
  I will never, ever give my support to those jack-booted thugs. They are an abomination to the American way. When they morph into The Great Pretender’s private militia they will have to come looking for me and they won’t like what they find if they do.
  
  People are idiots to have given up their freedom for the potential enslavement by the creation of the governments own private SS. Sieg Heil! They are now busily acclimating formerly free Americans to having their rights and their personal space invaded and violated while stockpiling hollow points. They are training us to be sheep. This country is going right down the tubes. Sheep are first sheared and then very often slaughtered after that. I probably would be freer in Myanmar!
  
  Report this comment
RDMercer
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:46pm
Good thing I have no plans to fly that airline anytime soon. I was appalled the last time when the chicken fried steak they served was less than appetizing.

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- chips1
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 9:04pm
  So!!!! You fell for the parakeet switch trick?
  
  Report this comment
vic138
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:39pm
Its not that far from yangood (rangoon) te roo mandalay to inle lake. The govt has no intention of improving the roads so people can move around. When I made this trip I went up the irrawady river to mandalay then bus to inle. Took 3 days and is probably a 1 hour flight. Horrible country to travel around, but beautiful and friendly people.

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cloudsofwar
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:34pm
where is Myanmar? and why would anybody go there? never heard of it. it’s a wonder that more people didn’t die. and the one guy riding his motorbike on the road gets ran over by the jet. strange story.

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- cloudsofwar
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:38pm
  oh it’s Burma. why not just say Burma? Myanmar? has Burma changed it’s name to Myanmar?
  
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- cemerius
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:47pm
  Because of politics of course…..I like Burma MUCH better but then it has conontations of “British rule”…….back woods country next to Nepal and Thailand…….
  
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Dismayed Veteran
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:26pm
One can easily tell that the solar panels failed. For a coaster ride of fun fly Air Bagan.

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Sweets McSweet
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:24pm
A good flight crew to hold it together.

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GoodStuff
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:14pm
Hey Blaze,

It’s called BURMA…you cowards!

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Akridgerunner
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 12:13pm
If Obama had a plane it would look like this….

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- bluehen
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:09pm
  @AKRIDGERUNNER
  
  LOL. How can you take an article about a plane crash and bring my president into it? You are truly a sad and pathetic man. I am willing to bet you’re the crazy guy in your neighborhood that parents warn their kids about. efing tool.
  
  Report this comment
- Frederick_Douglass_Republican
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 1:47pm
  Shut up hen
  
  Report this comment
- GENEPAGLIARI
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:06pm
  Hey Hen,
  GET FRIED.
  
  Report this comment
- bluehen
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:07pm
  @FREDERICK_DOUGLASS_REPUBLICAN
  
  HAHA.. UMad bro? So, your retort leads me to believe that you have the intellectual heft of a half eaten cheeseburger and can only resort to telling someone to shut up instead of posting an actual rebuttal. Speaking like a true bible thumping tea-party moron.
  
  Report this comment
- crazyrightwingmom
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:22pm
  Dear Mr. Hen: If thou canst understand satire, this refers to our dear Leader Obama who used it in reference to the famous Trayvon Martin….he takes responsibility for all miracles, such as the very good landing of this plane. So we are just giving it to him.
  Also, that is humor….something progressives are very short on understanding as they only can understand control of others and stealing their money.
  
  Report this comment
- Tom K
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 3:25pm
  @ ARKRIDGERUNNER : Thanks for the best laugh of my day so far.
  @ BLUEHEN : YOUR Obama is fundamentally destroying America as we know it and the crashed airline or even a large train wreck are perfect examples. Ms. ” Hen “, please try a new news source like Fox News ( some of the time ) or the Drudge Report or even World Net Daily. Drop A.B.C. – N.B.C. – C.B.S. – M.S.N.B.C. – C.N.N., etc. You will be amazed and enlightened.
  
  Report this comment
- 3-Blue
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 4:11pm
  AKRIDGERUNNER: Just when I thought that one was getting tired, you breathe new life into it! LOL…….
  
  BLUEHEN: Rebut? How does one rebut stark ignorance? Sorry pal, but there ain’t no easy fix for that. Turn to your Great Pretender. He’s full of non-solutions, soothing lies and snake venom. Sounds like you’re his kind of mindless fool. As for evil such as you Liberally display, we can only stand against or reject and resist that. I think it must truly suck to be you.
  
  Report this comment
katzkiner
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 12:09pm
As backward as some of us think the third world is, they would not have elected a recycled communist twice. Obama socialist ideas are 50 years obsolete. All his comrades are frustrated revolutionarys from the 60s. Revolution has failed all over the world. Now it is our turn.

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- thibx
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 2:08pm
  agree how can you pretent to be so smart and be so far behind. maybe he was goat herding.
  
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TAXEVERYONE
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 11:00am
I wonder if they served dog for lunch?

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Hickory
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 10:52am
Look what Obama has in store for us……………………………………..

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Shamrock241
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 9:48am
The pilot thought the road was the runway!!!! Uhh i quess they do not believe in GPS in 3rd world crap holes. Just a look into America’s future as lead by a 3rd world dictator.

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- Dustoff
  Posted on December 26, 2012 at 10:49am
  Or a ILS system.
  
  Report this comment
ZAP
Posted on December 26, 2012 at 9:44am
Plane was powered by burning dung…..

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