Region
Asia

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Long Tieng: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 10, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
56-0510
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Nakhon Sawan - Long Tieng
MSN:
3118
YOM:
1957
Location:
Long Tieng
Vientiane Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the pilot continued the approach at an insufficient altitude until the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Phou Bai at an altitude of 7,500 feet. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 in Long Tieng: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 2, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-3
Operator:
Xieng Khouang Air Transport
Registration:
XW-PGJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Location:
Long Tieng
Vientiane Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While descending to Long Tieng Airstrip, the crew encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane struck a hill and crashed. All four occupants were killed.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B-H2 Turbo Porter in Long Tieng

Date & Time: Dec 30, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
XW-PDC
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
547
YOM:
1964
Location:
Long Tieng
Xieng Khouang Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the single engine airplane landed hard and was considered as damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Luang Prabang: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Laos Air Charter
Registration:
XW-TDJ
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Vientiane - Luang Prabang
MSN:
13529
YOM:
1944
Location:
Luang Prabang
Louangphabang Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
16
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On final approach, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was too low when a wing struck trees. The airplane lost height and crashed on a hillside located few km from the airport. Both pilots and four passengers were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules near Ban Talan: 8 killed

Date & Time: Nov 24, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
56-0533
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3141
YOM:
1957
Location:
Ban Talan
Xaignabouli Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Ubon Ratchathani Airport on an orbital control flight at 9,000 feet. En route, the airplane was hit by several rounds of 37 mm flak and burst into flames. Out of control, it dove into the ground and crashed in a mountainous and isolated area. SAR operations were abandoned after few weeks as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found. The remains of the crew were returned from Laos in November 1993 and positively identified in October 1995.
Crew:
Cpt Earl Carlyle Brown,
1st Lt Peter Richard Matthes,
Maj Michael Dimitri Belamonti,
Cpt Richard Owen Ganley,
S/Sgt Charles Richard Fellenz,
S/Sgt Larry Irwin Grewell,
S/Sgt Donald Lee Wright,
Sgt Rexford John DeWispelaere.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47D near Pakse: 35 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1969 at 1115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
248
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Savannakhet - Pakse
MSN:
32580
YOM:
1944
Location:
Pakse
Champasak Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
35
Circumstances:
While descending to Pakse Airport, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions and was instructed to hold as a landing was impossible. Few minutes later, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airfield, killing all 35 occupants, among them civilians.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/C-H2 Turbo Porter in Long Tieng: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 19, 1969 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
N196X
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Long Tieng - Sam Thong
MSN:
596
YOM:
1966
Location:
Long Tieng
Xieng Khouang Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Captain / Total flying hours:
5874
Captain / Total hours on type:
2242.00
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Long Tieng Airfield at 1655LT on a special flight to Sam Thong under the provisions of contract no. AID-439-342. Five minutes later, during an en route climb, the aircraft was observed to perform an erratic
maneuver for the nature of flight involved and crashed into a hillside. All 12 passengers, Laotian citizens, and the pilot Cpt Ralph S. Davis, were killed. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the probable cause of this accident was the fatal wounding of the pilot by a bullet fired from a source outside the aircraft resulting in the loss of control.
Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/A-H2 Turbo Porter near Ban Y: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)
Operator:
Registration:
XW-PCE
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
571
YOM:
1964
Location:
Ban Y (LS-187)
Louangphabang Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While completing a dropping mission at low height, the airplane exploded and crashed, killing all three occupants.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47Q near Saravane: 10 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
45-1133
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pleiku - Huế
MSN:
17136/34403
YOM:
1945
Location:
Salavan
Salavan Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
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.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Ban Hai: 6 killed

Date & Time: Dec 13, 1968 at 0330 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
54-0600
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Nakhon Phanom - Nakhon Phanom
MSN:
20049
YOM:
1954
Location:
Ban Hai
Xieng Khouang Province
Country:
Laos
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nakhon Phanom on a flare dropping mission over Laos. While cruising by night, the airplane collided with a USAF artin B-57E Canberra registered 55-4284. Both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a dense jungle area. Both pilots on board the Canberra were killed as well a six crew members of the Provider. The captain was able to bail out and survived.
Crew:
Lt T. M. Turner,
1st Lt Joseph Peter Fanning, †
1st Lt John Scott Albright, †
1st Lt Douglas Vincent Dailey, †
1st Lt Morgan Jefferson Donahue, †
S/Sgt Samuel Franklin Walker, †
T/Sgt Frederick Lee Clarke. †
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