Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sơn Trung: 30 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 14, 1992 at 0712 LT
Operator:
Registration:
VN-A449
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - Nha Trang
MSN:
9 63 18 48
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
VN474
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Aircraft flight hours:
4668
Aircraft flight cycles:
3686
Circumstances:
While descending to Nha Trang Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On approach, the aircraft deviated from the W13 airway by six km when it struck trees, lost height and crashed on the slope of a mountain located 350 metres, about 33 km southwest of Nha Trang. The wreckage was found eight days later at an altitude of 970 metres. A passenger was seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor due to the presence of typhoon 'Forest' approaching the area.
Probable cause:
Following negligences and wrong interpretation of instrument settings, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed W13 airway by 6 km until it impacted the ground.
Crash of a Douglas VC-47A at U-Tapao NAS
Date & Time:
Apr 29, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
084
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - U-Tapao
MSN:
13900/25345
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing at U-Tapao NAS while completing a flight from Saigon. The aircraft was destroyed but there were no casualties.
Crash of a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in Saigon: 155 killed
Date & Time:
Apr 4, 1975 at 1630 LT
Operator:
Registration:
68-0218
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - Clark - Los Angeles
MSN:
500-0021
YOM:
1970
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
314
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
155
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a humanitarian flight, taking part to the 'Operation Babylift', a mission consisting to bring Vietnamese orphans back to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell. At 1603LT, the airplane departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport bound to the east. Twelve minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 23,000 feet over the South China Sea, a technical issue occurred on the rear access ramp doors followed by a rapid decompression of the cabin. A crew member fell out of the airplane and shortly later, the access ramp door detached and fell into sea as well. The captain contacted ATC, declared an emergency and was cleared to return to Saigon Airport. At that time, two of the four hydraulic systems were out of order and control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Nevertheless, the crew was able to descend to runway 25L when the rate of descent increased to 4,000 feet per minute. The airplane struck the ground a first time at a speed of 250 knots about 4 km short of runway 25L, bounced for three seconds and then crashed 500 meters further in a rice paddy field. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and debris scattered on a wide area. There were on board 149 orphans, 10 members of a medical team, 155 military personnels and 16 crew members. It was reported that 141 orphans were killed as well as six soldiers, five crew members and three of the medical team. The United States Navy amphibious cargo ship USS Durham, frigate USS Reasoner and command ship USS Blue Ridge were assigned to search for the flight data recorder in the South China Sea. The recorder was found and US Navy ships and helicopters also discovered debris from the doors in the South China Sea as well as the body of a crew member.
Probable cause:
When the rear doors were eventually recovered from the sea, investigation determined that some of the locks had not engaged properly. Maintenance records showed that locks had been cannibalized for spares, then subsequently improperly refitted so that not all the door locks were engaging correctly. Accounts also indicated the initial maintenance inspection noticed 5 of the 7 locks were not operating and failed the aircraft for flight. With external organizational pressure to get the flight airborne, a second off-shift maintenance team was called in. They subsequently missed the locks during inspection and the aircraft was cleared for flight. Furthermore, the flight crew confirmed that they had encountered difficulty closing the doors before takeoff. As the air pressure differential increased with altitude, the few locks that were working correctly were unable to bear the load, and the door failed.
Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster near Pleiku: 26 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 12, 1975 at 1830 LT
Operator:
Registration:
XV-NUJ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vientiane - Saigon
MSN:
10701
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft has been shot down by a surface-to-air missile.
Crash of a Lockheed WC-130H Hercules into the South China Sea: 10 killed
Date & Time:
Oct 13, 1974
Operator:
Registration:
65-0965
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Taipei - Saigon
MSN:
4106
YOM:
1965
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
En route from Taipei to Saigon, the airplane encountered poor weather conditions and crashed into the South China Sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 occupants was found. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor due to typhoon 'Bess'.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences as the aircraft was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.
Crash of a Boeing 727-121C in Phan Rang: 75 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 15, 1974 at 1100 LT
Operator:
Registration:
XV-NJC
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng – Saigon – Singapore
MSN:
19819
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
VN706
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
67
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
75
Circumstances:
En route from Đà Nẵng to Saigon, while cruising at an altitude of 26,000 feet, three guys entered the cockpit and ordered the pilot to divert to Hanoi. The captain tried to explain that this was not possible and that he should perform an intermediate stop at Phan Rang Airport. Shortly later, two hand grenades exploded in the front part of the cabin, causing major damages to the aircraft control systems. While approaching Phan Rang Airport, at a height of 1,000 feet, the airplane entered a nose-down attitude then crashed in a huge explosion in a rice paddy field located few km from the runway threshold. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 75 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The airplane became uncontrollable and crashed following a hijacking situation and the explosion of two hand grenades on board.
Crash of a Fairchild C-123K near Mộc Hóa: 5 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 27, 1974
Operator:
Registration:
ST-4
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Pnhom Penh - Saigon
MSN:
20304
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on its way back to Saigon after the crew delivered an important load of rice in Phonm Penh. While descending to Saigon Airport, the airplane was shot down by a Strela missile and crashed about 9 km south of Mộc Hóa. All five occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.
Crash of an Antonov AN-24 in Hanoi: 18 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 8, 1974
Registration:
XW-TCA
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon - Hanoi
MSN:
87304508
YOM:
1968
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Circumstances:
The aircraft was carrying a delegation of 15 Algerian journalists covering the official visit of the Algerian President Houari Boumediene in Vietnam. On approach to Hanoi Airport, the aircraft crashed for unknown reason and was destroyed, killing all 18 occupants.
Passengers:
Saleh Dib,
Abderrahmane Kahwadji,
Mahmoud Midat,
Mustapha Kaboub,
Abdelkader Bouhmia,
Mohamed Bekaï,
Laâredj Boutrif,
Rabah Haned,
Sebti Mouaki (Algerian television),
Ahmed Abdelatif,
Mohamed Taleb (photograph),
Mohamed Sahraoui,
Tayeb Harket,
Djilali Djedar,
Mohamed Attalah (APS).
Passengers:
Saleh Dib,
Abderrahmane Kahwadji,
Mahmoud Midat,
Mustapha Kaboub,
Abdelkader Bouhmia,
Mohamed Bekaï,
Laâredj Boutrif,
Rabah Haned,
Sebti Mouaki (Algerian television),
Ahmed Abdelatif,
Mohamed Taleb (photograph),
Mohamed Sahraoui,
Tayeb Harket,
Djilali Djedar,
Mohamed Attalah (APS).
Crash of a Douglas C-47B-10-DK near Quảng Ngãi: 27 killed
Date & Time:
Nov 17, 1973 at 0200 LT
Operator:
Registration:
XV-NIE
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon - Quảng Ngãi
MSN:
14910/26355
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
27
Circumstances:
While approaching Quảng Ngãi Airport by night and marginal weather conditions, the crew failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed about 20 km northwest of Quảng Ngãi. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 27 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew was approaching Quảng Ngãi under VFR mode in IMC conditions.
