Saigon | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, while climbing, the crew informed ground about the failure of the engine n°4 and was cleared to return for a safe landing. At this time, the visibility was estimated between 500 and 1,000 meters. While returning to the airport, the crew was informed about the deterioration of the weather conditions with a visibility reduced to 80 meters and strong winds. In such conditions, the captain decided to attempt a go around when the airplane banked right and crashed near the runway 25 threshold. All 28 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

The direct cause seems to derive mainly from the sudden worsening of the atmospheric conditions. The violence of the storm was definitely localized in the approach of the squall and in the squall. Whirling winds, three quarters front and then full crass, were the cause of the displacement of the aircraft to the right in spite of the efforts of the pilot, who felt that No. 3 engine was not yielding it. full power. The subsequent downdraft and rain forced the aircraft down, caused it to lose altitude and brought it to the ground. The reapplication of power, effected at an altitude of approximately 250 to 300 ft, and 25 to 30 seconds from the beginning of the runway, occurred late. In identical weather conditions, if the pilot had re-applied power as soon as he received the QBI and QAM (latest MET observation) he had requested from the tower, the aircraft would have been at an altitude of approximately 560 to 600 ft and one minute and twenty seconds from the runway, at a distance of 4 km. It would have met the squall in higher altitude and speed conditions that would have avoided the aircraft's being brought to the ground. The following factors had an aggravating effect although they were not direct causes of the accident:
- QBI was first announced by the tower while the aircraft was at 1 500 ft in a rear wind. The pilot and the radio operator stated that they did hot hear it at that time. However, a playback of the recorded tape definitely included the voice of the radio operator answering: "Aerodrome is QBI; all right". Had the pilot known of the QBI condition at that time, he would probably have requested a QAM and would have been in a better position to make a prompt decision to reapply power,
- The second report of appearance of smoke, the origin of which could not be detected on board, distracted the attention of the crew from the controls for a fraction of a second, causing them to apprehend danger from the holds. The load was 660 kg heavier than that submitted by the company. The airline should have reweighed the baggage instead of relying on the weights shown on the packages and on the manifest drawn up and filed

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas SC-47D in Phônsavan: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 23, 1961

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

44-76330

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Vientiane – Saigon

MSN:

15914/32662

YOM:

1945

Location:

Phônsavan

Xieng Khouang Province

Country:

Laos

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Phônsavan, the twin engine aircraft was hit by Pathet Lao AAA or small arms fire, lost a wing and crashed 6 km northwest of Phônsavan. Seven crew members were killed and one was taken PoW.
Crew (315th AD):
1st Lt Ralph Wayne Magee, †
1st Lt Oscar Branch Weston, †
2nd Lt Glenn Matteson, †
S/Sgt Algonso Aloyze Bankowski, †
S/Sgt Frederick Thomas Garside, †
S/Sgt Leslie Verne Sampson, †
Maj Lawrence Robert Bailey,
W01 Edgar Wilken Weitkamp. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy action.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 on Mt Hòn Cháy: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1960

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

17244

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Saigon – Hué

MSN:

13997/25442

YOM:

1944

Location:

Mt Hòn Cháy

Thừa Thiên–Huế Province

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Hué Airport on a cargo flight from Saigon, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Hòn Cháy (839 meters high) located 39 km southeast of the destination airport. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Saigon

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1956

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

VX483

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Location:

Saigon

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh City District

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Tan Son Nhât Airport, while climbing, an engine lost power and some blades detached. Suffering an asymmetric thrust, the airplane stalled and crashed in a grassy area. All three crew members were injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Propeller blades failure and loss of engine power after takeoff.

Crash of a Bristol 170 Freighter 21E in Pakse: 47 killed

Date & Time: Aug 16, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Bristol 170 Freighter

Operator:

Registration:

F-VNAI

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Humanitarian

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Hanoi – Saigon

MSN:

12809

YOM:

1946

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft was performing a special flight from Hanoi to Saigon, carrying refugees leaving the Red River. In-flight, the crew informed ATC about an engine failure and received the permission to divert to Pakse for an emergency landing. The airplane lost height and eventually crashed on the bank of the Sedone River, a tributary of the Mekong River. Three crew members and five passengers were seriously injured while 47 other occupants were killed. The aircraft was totally destroyed upon impact.

Probable cause:

Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Vietnam: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-3

Operator:

Registration:

F-BSGS

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saigon – Hanoi

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while performing a cargo flight from Saigon to Hanoi. All three crew members were killed.

Crash of a SNCASO SO.30P Bretagne in Saigon

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1954

Type of aircraft:

SNCASO SO.30 Bretagne

Operator:

Registration:

F-OAMA

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

Location:

Saigon

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh City District

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Saigon-Tan Son Nhât Airport, while climbing, an engine caught fire. The aircraft crash landed and came to rest along the runway, broken in two. All four crew members were injured.

Probable cause:

Engine fire after takeoff.

Crash of a Vickers 607 Valetta C.1 in Singapore: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 21, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Vickers Valetta

Operator:

Registration:

WJ494

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Hong Kong – Saigon – Singapore

MSN:

579

YOM:

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Singapore-Changi Airport, the captain was forced to shot down the left engine for unknown reason. Shortly later, the airplane lost speed, stalled, hit tree tops and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 2,4 km short of runway. Both pilots and a passenger were killed while nine other people were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for unknown reason.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-65-DL Phou Lassi Mountains: 34 killed

Date & Time: Jun 16, 1953

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

F-BEST

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Vientiane – Saigon

MSN:

19100

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Vientiane to Saigon, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Phou Lassi Mountains. As the airplane failed to arrive in Saigon, SAR operations were conducted but the wreckage was found 13 days later only, in an isolated and remote area located about 30 km northwest of Paksé. The aircraft was destroyed and all 34 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident remains unknown. The assumption that the airplane has been shot down was not ruled out as well as an uncontrollable fire on board.