Thailand

After taking off from the airfield at Nakhon Phanom the pilot attempted to snare a red flag on top of a flag pole. Apparently, this trick had been attempted before by other C-123 crew based in Thailand. During the second attempt the left wing hit a house and the aircraft crashed killing all three crew and two Thai civilians on the ground. Nakhon Phanom Airfield in north-eastern Thailand, close to the border with Laos, was still under construction when the accident happened. It is possible that the C-123s were bringing in construction equipment or supplies.
Crew (777 TCS, 464 TCW):
1st Lt Raymond E. Doyle,
1st Lt Richard L. Hatlestad,
S/Sgt Stanley E. Truesdale.
Source: Vietnam Air Lossed by Chris Hobson.

Flight UA869 departed from Hong Kong for Bangkok, an intermediate stop, on a scheduled service to Cairo. Takeoff time was 13:30 UTC. The flight climbed to 31000 ft, the selected cruising altitude. At 15:14 UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the flight had crossed the Bangkok FIR boundary at 15:08 and passed over Ubol NDB at 15:13 and requested to fly direct from Ubol NDB to Bangkok VOR. This request was granted by Bangkok ATC. At this time UA869 advised Bangkok ATC that the ETA for Bangkok VOR would be 15:47. At 15:27 the flight advised Bangkok ATC that it would be over the 100 mile perimeter at 15:30. After reporting that it was 90 miles out the crew requested descent clearance to a lower altitude. Bangkok control cleared the flight to descend to 4000 ft on the Bangkok VOR radial of 073 degrees and to report when commencing descent from 31000 ft. The flight was instructed to contact Bangkok approach control at 15:39. At 15:35 the flight was cleared to 3000 ft and informed that the altimeter setting was 1007.8 mb. At 15:40 the flight transferred to the Bangkok approach control. Immediately after this UA869 reported to approach control that it was descending from 13000 ft and estimating Bangkok VOR at 15:44. Approach control advised the flight to adjust the altimeter setting to 1007.8 mb and then cleared the flight to cross Bangkok VOR for final approach on runway 21R and report immediately on descending from 3000 ft. This was the last contact with the flight. The Comet flew into the side of Khao Yai Mountain, 52 nm NE of Bangkok.

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The crew was engaged in a sea supply mission on behalf of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While flying at low height, the pilot-in-command attempted a turn to the left when the left wing hit the water surface, causing the aircraft to crash into the sea few km off Hua Hin. The aircraft was destroyed and all seven occupants have been killed.

Shortly after takeoff from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, while climbing, the starboard engine failed. The pilot attempted to return for an emergency landing when the aircraft stalled and crashed in a field located 500 meters from the runway threshold. Four passengers were killed while 14 other occupants were injured.

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En route to Bangkok, about 450 km from the intended destination, the crew informed ATC about vibrations coming from the engine number three. The flight was continued uneventfully until the descent was started. On final approach to runway 21, a propeller blade detached from the engine number three that caught fire and suffered severe vibrations. On touchdown, the right main gear collapsed and the airplane skidded for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All 44 occupants were evacuated safely before the aircraft christened 'Venlo' was destroyed by fire.