Pleiku

While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet en route from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew informed ATC about his position over PE5 on the G67 airway when contact was lost. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located about 25 km southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants have been killed, among them a Swiss citizen in charge of the medical missions of the Red Cross in Vietnam.

On approach to Pleiku Airport, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airport. All eight occupants were killed.

Flight CX700Z was a scheduled international flight from Singapore to Hong Kong with an en-route stop at Bangkok. It made a 55 minute stop at Bangkok during which 68 passengers and baggage were off loaded, and 35 passengers and baggage, in addition to 35 000 lbs of JP-1 fuel, were loaded. The aircraft took off from Bangkok at 0455 hours GMT bound for Hong Kong via airway Green 67 at FL290. The flight proceeded normally with the aircraft maintaining routine radio contact first with Bangkok ACC and from 0542 hours with Saigon ACC. The last message from the aircraft was received at 0554 hours by Saigon ACC giving the aircraft's position at 0553 hours over reporting point "PE5" at FL290, with an estimated time over "XVK" reporting point of 0606 hours. At 0620 hours, when no further messages had been received from the aircraft, Saigon ACC called it several times but received no reply. A request for information concerning the aircraft, made by Saigon ACC at 0640 hours to Hong Kong and then Taipei ACCs, produced negative results. The Distress Phase was initiated at 0715 hours and DETRESFA signalled to Tan Son Nhut RCC for appropriate action. The RCC advised Saigon ACC at 0755 hours that a Convair type aircraft had crashed about 30 NM southeast of Pleiku TACAN beacon. The aircraft was identified as VR-HFZ by two helicopter pilots who reached the accident site soon after the occurrence and while the wreckage was still burning. They recovered two bodies from the burning wreckage and flew them to Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 81 occupants survived the crash.

On approach to Pleiku Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. The awreckage was found about 15 meters below the summit and all 32 occupants were killed, among them 6 China Airlines employees (three crew members and three mechanics), 11 US soldiers, 14 South-Vietnam soldiers and one South-Vietnam civilian.

The single engine aircraft was engaged in a liaison flight from Pleiku to the Special Forces Camp of Đắk Pék. On final approach, the pilot decided to abandon the landing for undetermined reason. Control was lost and the airplane crashed and burst into flames. All four passengers were killed while the pilot was injured.

On final approach to Pleiku Airport, one of the engine failed. The airplane stalled and crashed in flames short of runway threshold. All eight occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Following an uneventful flight from Saigon via Pleiku, the crew started the descent to Đà Nẵng in marginal weather conditions. The visibility was relatively limited due to clouds. On final, the DC-4 was cleared to land on runway 17L. At the same time, the crew of a USAF F4E Phantom II registered 67-0393 was approaching runway 17R when he was contacted by ATC and also cleared to land. The crew of the DC-4 understood this message was dedicated to him so the captain made a turn to the right to join the runway 17R approach path. Doing so in limited visibility, he failed to see the Phantom that was approaching from his right side. Both airplane collided and while the Phantom was able to land, the Skymaster entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a rice paddy field located about three km from the runway threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while 75 other occupants and two people on the ground were killed. Two other people working in the field were also injured.

The crew was on a radio direction finding mission from Pleiku to Huế when the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and crashed about 40 km southeast of Saravane. The wreckage was found in October 1969 and all 10 crew members have been killed.
Crew:
Maj Homer Morgan Lynn,
Cpt Walter Francis Burke,
Maj Harry Tilman Niggle,
Maj Robert Eugene Olson,
M/Sgt Wilton Neil Hatton,
S/Sgt James Vernon Dorsey,
S/Sgt Rodney Herschel Gott,
S/Sgt Hugh Leslie Sherburn,
T/Sgt Louis John Clever,
Sgt Clarence Leon McNeill.

While engaged in a dropping mission, the airplane was flying at low height and reduced speed when it stalled, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. Two crew members were killed while two others were injured.
Those killed were:
Cpt Kenneth James Hoffman,
A1C Gary Raymond McKendrick.

The gunship was engaged in an aerial attack from Phu Cat when it was shot down by enemy fire in the region of Pleiku. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Leslie Earl Harris, †
Maj Teddy James Tomchesson, †
Lt Barry Lynn Brown, †
Cpt Edward Chester Krawczyk, †
S/Sgt James Edgar Bowman, †
Sgt Douglas Joseph Cradeur, †
Sgt Roy Leo Lede. †