Found dead inside the mangled Diamond DA42 aircraft were aviation-trainer chief Pol Lt-Colonel Somboon Kamneungrattana-wongsa, 62, pilot Second Lieutenant Chinnawut Nuanklab, 26, and Yingyos Udonpim, the chairman of the Office of the Farmer’s Reconstruction and Development Fund board and a former chairman of the Maha Sarakham Provincial Administra-tive Organisation.

Yingyos, 54, boarded the Bangkok-bound flight at dawn to meet a member of the Cabinet in the capital later yesterday.

“I’ve received a report that the trainer contacted the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand to ask for permission to make an emergency landing about 10 minutes into the flight,” said Assoc Prof Air Marshal Jirasak Chanasit, dean of the aviation college. He added that the aircraft was flying at about 1,500 metres above the ground at the time.

A source said the pilot detected a fire in the left engine of the aircraft, reported it, but then lost contact with Aeronautical Radio of Thailand

The accident occurred just two kilometres away from the Nakhon Phanom airport.

The cause of the crash remained unclear yesterday.

Nakhon Phanom University’s acting president Prawit Erawan said the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand had already launched an investigation.

“From our side, the university has set up a committee to look into the incident. It is required to report the results within 30 days,” he added.

The International Aviation College has conducted training courses since 2007, attracting students from across Thailand and also foreign countries. The one-year training costs more than Bt2 million.

Earlier this year, a Diamond DA42 aircraft from the college reportedly had to make an emergency landing during a training session. Although the aircraft suffered damage in the crash landing, the trainer and students were unharmed.

Pavich Tongroach, chair of the Nakhon Phanom University’s Council, said the university’s International Aviation College bought 10 Diamond DA42 planes from Austria for about Bt10 million each.

“It is a standard aircraft for commercial aviation training. This model is widely used in Germany and France,” he said.

The college is a state-run institution.