Military | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, while in initial climb at a height of 100 feet, one of the engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed about 3 km from the airfield. Six crew members were killed while two others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Crew:
1st Lt Thomas Lambert Lubbers,
1st Lt Charles Milford Knowles,
Maj Meredith Glenn Anderson,
Maj Robert Bokern,
M/Sgt Joseph Cobden Jeszeck,
S/Sgt Allen Chandler,
S/Sgt Robert Frederick Fage,
Sgt Michael J. Vangelisti.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar at Rivolto AFB: 17 killed

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1970 at 1023 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

MM52-6018

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Rivolto – Grazzanise

MSN:

10948

YOM:

1952

Location:

Rivolto

Friuli-Venezia Giulia

Country:

Italy

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Rivolto Airbase, while in initial climb, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in an open field located few km from the airfield. Two passengers were seriously injured while 17 other occupants were killed, among them members of the Italian Army Ski Team and also engineers and technicians of the Aeronautical Military Division of the FIAT Group.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by the failure of the left engine during initial climb.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130A Spectre near Ban Tan Lo: 10 killed

Date & Time: Apr 22, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

54-1625

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani

MSN:

3012

YOM:

1957

Flight number:

Adlib 1

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While in a commando mission along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. A fire erupted on the left wing root and the crew was unable to extinguish the fire. A crew member (S/Sgt Eugene Fields) was able to bail out and was later recovered uninjured while the aircraft dove into the ground and crashed, killing all 10 other occupants.
Crew:
Maj William Leslie Brooks, †
1st Lt John Cline Towle, †
Lt Col Charlie Brown Davis, †
Lt Col Charles Stoddard Rowley, †
Maj Donald Garth Fisher, †
M/Sgt Robert Newell Ireland, †
S/Sgt Thomas Yuji Adachi, †
S/Sgt Eugene Fields,
S/Sgt Stephen Warren Harris, †
S/Sgt Ronnie Lee Hensley, †
A1C Donald Michael Lint. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Rockwell T-39A-1-NA Sabreliner in Weldon: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1970 at 1000 LT

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner

Operator:

Registration:

61-0640

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

MacDill - Shaw - Langley

MSN:

265-43

YOM:

1962

Location:

Weldon

North Carolina

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed McDill AFB, Florida, on a flight to Langley AFB. After a technical stop at Shaw AFB located in Sumter, the crew continued bound to the north. About 20 minutes prior to its arrival at Langley AFB, while in cruising level, the airplane collided with a USAF Douglas TA-4F Skyhawk. Both aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in the region of Weldon. All six crew members on both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules off Okinawa: 11 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

56-0516

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

3124

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Kadena AFB, while en route to Vietnam, the crew informed ground that two engines failed and was initiating a return. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the ocean some 24 km southeast of Kadena AFB. All 11 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure during climb-out for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Long Tieng: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

56-0510

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Nakhon Sawan - Long Tieng

MSN:

3118

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

For unknown reason, the pilot continued the approach at an insufficient altitude until the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Phou Bai at an altitude of 7,500 feet. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-4A Caribou into the Cowie Bay: 10 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1970 at 0850 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

M21-10

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

278

YOM:

1969

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances into the Cowie Bay. Ten passengers were killed while nine other occupants were rescued.

Crash of a Lockheed EC-121M Super Constellation in Đà Nẵng: 23 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1970 at 1130 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-121 Super Constellation

Operator:

Registration:

145927

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Taipei - Đà Nẵng

MSN:

5508

YOM:

1958

Location:

Đà Nẵng

Đà Nẵng City District

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The engine number four was shut down in flight due to a generator overheating. On final approach, the airplane was unstable and lost height. The crew was aware that the first 1,000 feet of the runway 35L were unserviceable due to repair so he increased power on the three remaining engines. At a height of about 40 feet, the tail stalled and struck the runway surface. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and struck several equipments on ground. Eight occupants and two people on the ground were injured while 23 other occupants were killed. Two trucks, a F-4D Phantom and several military equipments were destroyed as well.
Those killed were:
Lt Cdr Harvey C. K. Aiua,
Lt Cdr Harry C. Martin,
Lt Robin A. Pearce,
Lt George L. Morningstar,
Lt(jg) James M. Masters,
Lt(jg) Charles E. Pressler,
Lt(jg) Jean P. Souzon,
CO0 William J. Risse,
P01 Larry O. Marchbank,
P01 Arthur D. Simmons,
P01 Donald W. Wilson,
P02 Floyd E. Andrus,
P02 Gregory J. Asbeck,
P02 William P. Bletsch,
P02 Guy T. Denton,
P02 Joseph S. Saukaitis,
P02 John S. Schaefer,
P02 Stuart J. Scruggs,
P02 Barry M. Searby,
P03 John M. Birch,
P03 Thurle E. Case,
P03 Ben A. hughes,
P03 Ralph S. Purhum.

Probable cause:

It's the copilot who was in-command at the time of the accident and it is believed that he leveled the aircraft in an inappropriate position on short final. As the captain failed to supervise properly his operations, he was unable to correct the situation in due time.