Royal Thai Air Force F-5 TH fighter jet bursts tire in Ubon
RTAF reports F-5 TH fighter jet from Wing 21 suffered a tire burst on the runway in Ubon Ratchathani at 11:30 AM on October 7, 2026, disrupting Bangkok flights.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- RTAF F-5 TH fighter jet from Wing 21 experienced a tire burst on the Ubon runway
- The incident occurred at approximately 11:30 AM on October 7, 2026
- Bangkok passenger flights were forced to turn back due to temporary runway closure
- Authorities cleared the debris and reopened the runway normally at 13:30 PM
On October 7, 2026, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) released an official statement addressing an aviation incident involving an F-5 TH fighter jet assigned to Squadron 211 of Wing 21 in Ubon Ratchathani province, which encountered a technical malfunction on the airport runway.
The incident took place at approximately 11:30 AM on the same day when the aircraft suffered a tire burst while landing. Airport authorities were immediately required to temporarily close the runway to ensure maximum safety and prevent any secondary accidents during the emergency response.
The sudden runway closure directly disrupted inbound commercial passenger flights from Bangkok, which were unable to land at Ubon Ratchathani Airport. Specifically affected services included flight FD3374 on the Don Mueang–Ubon Ratchathani route and flight VZ220 on the Suvarnabhumi–Ubon Ratchathani route, requiring aircraft to return to Bangkok.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Regarding the root cause, the Royal Thai Air Force explained that a tire burst during landing is a technical issue that can occasionally occur with aircraft, potentially triggered by the landing gear rolling over foreign object debris on the runway surface upon touchdown.
While runway tire bursts are rare mechanical occurrences, sharing a runway between military fighter jets and commercial aviation means any disruption creates immediate scheduling ripple effects. The ability of RTAF and airport ground crews to clear the disabled aircraft and restore operations within a two-hour window highlights efficient emergency response coordination.
Following the mishap, airport rescue personnel and relevant agencies rushed to clear obstacles and remove the aircraft from the operational zone. Operations were successfully restored, allowing the runway to reopen for normal usage starting from 13:30 PM onwards.
Source: Khaosod Politics
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