James Thain (8 February 1921 – 6 August 1975) was a British aviator and former Royal Air Force officer.

On 6 February 1958, Thain was pilot in command of an Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador (Lord Burghley, G-ALZU) flying out of Munich.

After two failed take off attempts, caused by problems with boost surging in one of the Ambassador's engines, Thain chose to make a third try, hoping to stay on schedule, rather than remain overnight for maintenance at Munich.

[6] In 1969, an inquiry for the UK government’s Board of Trade concluded that Thain was not to blame for the accident.

[8][9] Retiring to his poultry farm in southern England, Thain died after suffering a heart attack on 6 August 1975, at the age of 54, in Berkshire.