Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Chu Lai: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0718
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon – Đà Nẵng
MSN:
3513
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While flying in the vicinity of Chu Lai, the airplane exploded in mid-air and crashed in a field, killing all five crew members.
Crew:
Maj Robert Hayes,
Cpt Bruce Cardy,
1st Lt Wendell Curry,
S/Sgt Isaac Corbett,
S/Sgt Norman Sweat.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the explosion remains unknown but there was strong possibility of the aircraft having been a victim of sabotage.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Bogotá

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAC-1002
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Santa Bárbara – Bogotá
MSN:
3587
YOM:
1960
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Bogotá after he delivered cattle to an hacienda located in the region of Santa Bárbara, Nariño. On touchdown, the airplane went out of control and came to rest in flames. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382B-8C Hercules in Cayaya

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CF-PWO
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4197
YOM:
1967
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The approach to Cayaya Airport was initiated in heavy rain falls and limited visibility. On short final, the airplane was too low and the right wing struck the ground and was torn off. Out of control, the airplane crashed onto the runway and came to rest. All four crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Error on the part of the pilot in deciding to land in adverse weather conditions. The lack of assistance from ATC personnel at the airport was considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Katum: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0965
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon - Katum
MSN:
3652
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On final approach top Katum Special Forces Camp, at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane was hit in the port wing by a quad .50 calibre radar-directed anti-aircraft gun causing a fire an engine failure. The aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed few km short of runway. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Gary Edward Brunner,
Maj William Howard Condit,
1st Lt Terry Michael Reed,
Lt Col Jean Arthur Kearby,
S/Sgt Billy Wallace McDonald,
S/Sgt George Charles Peters.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Ground accident of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in St Petersburg

Date & Time: May 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-1831
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3794
YOM:
1963
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a ground accident at St Petersburg Airport. No casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Katum

Date & Time: May 27, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0472
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3080
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight to Katum, carrying a load of construction equipment. On final approach, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. After touchdown, when the propellers went into reverse pitch, the fuel was sucked up into the engines and ignited. The aircraft veered off runway to the right and came to rest in flames. All five crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed AC-130A Hercules at Ubon Ratchathani AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 24, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-1629
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3016
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
13
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The AC-130A gunship operated on a night time reconnaissance flight checking for enemy truck traffic. The crew noticed a convoy and were preparing to attack when their Hercules was struck by two rounds of 37 mm AAA. It was flying near Ban Tabok, 32 km SW of the A Shau Valley at an altitude of 6,500 feet. The hydraulic system failed and the flight crew were not able to used elevator trim, rudder control and autopilot. Using differential engine power the pilot managed to head to Ubon for an emergency landing. Several crew members were ordered to bail out before the landing. The Hercules crash-landed, skidding off the runway. It burst into flames when a wing was torn off after striking the barrier cable housing near the end of the runway.
Source: Chris Hobson
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules into The Channel: 1 killed

Date & Time: May 23, 1969 at 0655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-7789
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3856
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Parked at RAF Mildenhall, the Hercules was stolen by USAF Sgt Paul Meyer who wanted to fly back to the US to join his wife. After a night takeoff, he headed south over The Channel when he lost control of the airplane that crashed into The Channel some 48 km north of Alderney Island. The aircraft was destroyed and the sole occupant was killed. It was reported that the Sgt did not hold any pilot licence and was not authorized to takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed KC-130F Hercules off Huê-Phú Bài: 6 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1969 at 1330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
149814
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
3723
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
At 12:05 on 18 May 1969 the Marine Corps KC-130F tanker departed Da Nang Air Base on a routine operational tanker mission. The aircraft continued to the Hue Phu Bai Area for the in-flight refueling mission. The tanker had departed its assigned track by and was proceeding toward the ocean before turning southeast to Da Nang. The KC-130F proceeded southbound for the Hue Phu Bai airfield area while refueling two US Marine Corps McDonnell F-4B Phantom fighter aircraft (152270 and 151450). All three aircraft were descending in a "tobogganing" maneuver while heading southbound in the vicinity of the South Vietnam Coastline. At the same time a separate USMC F-4B Phantom (151001) was heading in a generally westbound direction toward the Hue Phu Bai military area. The two aircraft approached each other nearly head on with a closing rate of approximately 700 knots true airspeed. The initial impact by the F-4B was in the vicinity of the number four engine and the starboard refueling pod on the KC-130F. The radome on the F-4B cleared the propeller on the number four engine as the cockpit initially impacted with it. The single F-4B crashed and the pilot and RIO died instantly. The KC-130F crashed into the sea. One of the refueling F-4B's was severely damaged from the initial crash debris. Phantom 151450 plugged into the starboard drogue, was sprayed with fuel and apparently ingested an undetermined amount of debris into both engines. The F-4B aircraft flipped uncontrollably to an inverted position while the drogue and a portion of the hose remained attached to the aircraft. Its engines could not sustain power and the fighter crashed at sea. Both crew members successfully ejected and were recovered. The second refueling F-4B fighter, 152270 was plugged into the port refueling drogue and sustained limited damage in the form of two small holes in the port aileron and a 1/2 inch hole in the starboard wingtip. The pilot observed the spinning tanker, and when it was apparent he could render no further assistance returned to Chu Lai Air Base without further incident.
Crew:
Maj Jimmie Dwayne Sells,
Maj John Clarence Williamson,
MGSgt Carroll Franklin Hersey,
M/Sgt Edmond Chester Polenski,
Sgt Robert Allen Bonebright,
Cpl James Allen Cox.
Source: The Marine Air Transporter

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Lộc Ninh

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-2637
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon – Lộc Ninh
MSN:
3673
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Lộc Ninh, the airplane was hit by ground fire. Upon touchdown, several tires burst. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest in flames. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.