Pattaya-U-Tapao | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The airplane departed U-Tapao NAS in Thailand with six crew members on board, taking part to the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the airplane was hit by enemy fire (SA-2 surface to air missile). The crew was able to leave the area but once over Thailand, the airplane lost height and crashed 35 km east of Khon Kaen. Two crew members survived while four others were killed.
Crew:
Maj John Franklin Stuart, pilot, †
1st Lt Paul Granger, copilot,
Cpt Thomas Klomann, navigator,
Maj Randolph Perry Jr., radio navigator, †
Cpt Irwin Lerner, EWO, †
M/Sgt Arthur McLaughlin, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress into Huu Tiep Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

56-0608

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

17291

YOM:

1956

Flight number:

Rose 01

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed U-Tapao NAS in Thailand under call sign Rose 01 with six crew members on board, taking part to the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the airplane was hit by enemy fire (SA-2 surface to air missile). The airplane lost height and crashed into the Huu Tiep Lake located in the center of Hanoi. Two crew members were killed while four others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Hal K. Wilson, pilot,
Cpt Charles Arthur Brown, copilot,
Cpt Richard Waller Cooper, navigator, †
Maj Fernando Alexander, radio navigator,
Cpt Henry Charles Barrows, EWO,
T/Sgt Charlie Sherman Poole, air gunner. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress in Pla Pak

Date & Time: Nov 22, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0110

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

17226

YOM:

1955

Flight number:

Olive2

Location:

Pla Pak

Nakhon Phanom (นครพนม)

Country:

Thailand

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The heavy bomber aircraft was dispatched from U-Tapao NAS on a mission to Vietnam under callsign Olive 2. While cruising over Vinh, Vietnam, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. The crew decided to leave the area and to return to U-Tapao when few minutes later, the situation worsened. All six crew members decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed near Pla Pak. The aircraft was destroyed while all six crew members were found alive.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-60-BO Stratofortress at U-Tapao NAS

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0097

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

17213

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed upon landing at U-Tapao NAS for unknown reason. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all six crew members escaped uninjured.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-25-BW Stratofortress at U-Tapao NAS

Date & Time: Jul 19, 1969

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0676

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

464023

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While taking off from U-Tapao NAS in heavy rain falls on an Arc Light mission, the pilot's and copilot's airspeed indicators gave different readings. The captain decided to abort the takeoff procedure but the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran runway 36, lost its landing gear and came to rest in flames. All six crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker near Ching Chuan Kang AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Oct 22, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

61-0301

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

U-Tapao - Ching Chuan Kang

MSN:

18208

YOM:

1962

Location:

Ching Chuan Kang AFB (Taichung)

Taichung City (臺中市)

Country:

Taiwan

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was returning to his base at Ching Chuan Kang near Taichung, Taiwan, following a refuelling mission over South Vietnam. While cruising by night and in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (7,300 feet high) located about 75 km from Ching Chuan Kang AFB. The wreckage was found 1,500 feet below the summit and all six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN at U-Tapao AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

55-3138

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

17254

YOM:

1957

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

6999

Circumstances:

While taking off from U-Tapao AFB, the engine number four lost power. The airplane stalled and crashed in flames near the runway end and was destroyed by a post impact fire. All four crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Loss of power on engine number four during takeoff for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-90-LO Orion off Đảo Phú Quốc Island: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-3 Orion

Operator:

Registration:

153445

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

185-5241

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising over the Gulf of Thailand on a maritime patrol flight at the border between Thailand and South Vietnam, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and the right wing caught fire. The crew informed ground about his situation and elected to divert to the nearest airport when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Đảo Phú Quốc Island. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt(jg) Frank E. Hand,
Lt(jg) Stuart L. McLellan,
Lt(jg) Brian J. Mathison,
Lt(jg) Michael J. Purcell,
AME2 Donald W. Burnside,
ATI Kenneth L. Crist,
A02 William S. Cutting,
AXC Donald E. Kulacz,
AX3 Delmar L. Lawrence,
AE1 Donald F. Wood,
ADJ2 Edward O. Wynder,
AX1 Alvin G. Yoximer.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-85-LO Orion off Phú Quốc Island: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1968 at 0315 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed P-3 Orion

Operator:

Registration:

153440

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

185-5237

YOM:

1967

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft departed U-Tapao Airbase in Thailand in the evening of February 5 for a 24-hour patrol flight over the Gulf of Thailand. Around 0300LT, the crew informed ground about his position and this was the last radio transmission as the airplane disappeared few minutes later and crashed into the sea off Phú Quốc Island. Some debris and two bodies were found 10 days later and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Cdr Robert F. Meglio,
Lt(jg) Thomas Paul Jones,
Lt(jg) Lynn Michael Travis,
Lt(jg) Roy Arthur Huss,
AXC Donald Frederick Burnett,
A0C Donald Louis Gallagher,
AMH2 Homer Eugene McKay,
ADR1 James Clifford Newman,
AE1 Melvin Carl Thompson,
ADJ2 Billy W. McGhee,
AX3 Armando Chapa,
AX3 William Farrell Farris.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the result of problems with the autopilot system.

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