Crash of a Boeing 707-366C in Bangkok: 73 killed

Date & Time: Dec 25, 1976 at 0345 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
SU-AXA
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Rome - Cairo - Bombay - Bangkok - Manila - Tokyo
MSN:
20763/871
YOM:
1973
Flight number:
MS864
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
44
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
73
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Bombay, the crew started the descent to Bangkok-Don Mueang Airport by night. On approach, the pilot reported runway in sight and was cleared to land on runway 21L. On short final, he failed to realize his altitude was too low when the four engine airplane struck the roof of a building and crashed in flames on a spinning factory located 2 km short of runway. The aircraft and several buildings were killed. All 53 occupants on board the B707 were killed as well as 20 people working in the factory. At the time of the accident, the visibility was estimated to be 4 km.
Probable cause:
The accident was the consequence of several errors on part of the flying crew who continued the approach below the minimum safe altitude until impact with ground.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in Sakon Nakhon

Date & Time: Sep 23, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
L2-40/15
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
20421
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the airplane struck trees just past the runway end. The captain decided to return for a safe landing. There were no injuries among the occupants but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47A at U-Tapao NAS

Date & Time: Apr 29, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
084
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - U-Tapao
MSN:
13900/25345
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
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 Helio AU-24A Stallion off Trat: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 17, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
21332
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was descending to Trat when it crashed under unknown circumstances into the sea, killing all four occupants. Apparently, they escaped Cambodia.

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H2 Turbo Porter in Umphang

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
1602
Survivors:
No
MSN:
2031
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances while on approach to Umphang Airstrip. All five occupants were killed.

Crash of a Pilatus AU-23 Peacemaker near Lop Buri AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1973
Operator:
Registration:
JTh2-8/15
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lop Buri - Lop Buri
MSN:
2059
YOM:
1972
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (a Thai pilot under supervision and a US instructor) departed Lop Buri AFB for a local training mission. In unknown circumstances, the single engine airplane went out of control and crashed in a rice paddy field located in Khok Krathiam, few km west of the airbase. Both occupants were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress near U-Tapao NAS

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0599
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17282
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in the Linebacker II mission over North Vietnam, carrying six crew members from U-Tapao NAS. While overflying the Hanoi area, the aircraft was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The crew decided to leave the target area and to return to U-Tapao NAS for an emergency landing. As the four engines on the left side were out of service, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in an isolated area. All six crew were found alive.
Crew:
Cpt John Mize, pilot,
Cpt Terrence Gruters, copilot,
Lt William Robinson, navigator,
Cpt Dennis Anderson, EWO,
Cpt William North, radio navigator,
T/Sgt Peter E. Whalen, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-70-BO Stratofortress at U-Tapao NAS: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0584
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17267
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in the Linebacker II mission over North Vietnam, carrying six crew members from U-Tapao NAS. While overflying the Hanoi area, the aircraft was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The crew decided to leave the target area and to return to U-Tapao NAS for an emergency landing. As the air gunner was wounded, the captain refused to bail out. On approach, as four engines were out of service on the same side, he was forced to initiate a go-around when control was lost. The airplane crashed near the airbase and was destroyed. Four crew members were killed while two others survived.
Crew:
Cpt James Mack Turner, pilot, †
1st Lt Robert Joseph Hymel,
Maj Lawrence Jay Marshall, navigator, †
Lt Col Donald Arrington Joyner, radio navigator, †
Cpt Roy Tom Tabler, EWO, †
T/Sgt Spencer L. Grippin, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-80-BW Stratofortress near Nakhon Phanom

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-6481
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Andersen - Nakhon Phanom
MSN:
464186
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Brass 02
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Andersen AFB on Guam Island under call sign Brass 02 with six crew members on board, taking part to the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the airplane was hit by enemy fire (SA-2 surface to air missile). The crew was able to leave the target area and to fly to Thailand but eventually, all six crew members were forced to abandon the aircraft that crashed about 16 km southwest of Nakhon Phanom. The aircraft was destroyed while all six crew members survived.
Crew:
Cpt John Ettinger, pilot,
Cpt Lawrence A. Casazza, pilot,
Maj Charles E. Archie, copilot,
1st Lt Robert A. Clement, radio navigator,
Cpt Silverio A. Barroqueiro, navigator,
T/Sgt George H. Schryer, EWO.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-80-BO Stratofortress near Khon Kaen: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0622
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17305
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed U-Tapao NAS in Thailand with six crew members on board, taking part to the Linebacker II mission over Vietnam. While flying over Hanoi, the airplane was hit by enemy fire (SA-2 surface to air missile). The crew was able to leave the area but once over Thailand, the airplane lost height and crashed 35 km east of Khon Kaen. Two crew members survived while four others were killed.
Crew:
Maj John Franklin Stuart, pilot, †
1st Lt Paul Granger, copilot,
Cpt Thomas Klomann, navigator,
Maj Randolph Perry Jr., radio navigator, †
Cpt Irwin Lerner, EWO, †
M/Sgt Arthur McLaughlin, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.