Vietnam

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

15090/26535

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On approach to Biên Hòa, at an altitude of 3,500 feet, the Spooky collided with a USAF North American OV-10A Bronco registered 67-14627. Following the collision, the Bronco dove into the ground and crashed, killing both pilots. The crew of the Spooky was able to continue the approach when on touchdown, the undercarriage collapsed. The airplane slid for few dozen yards before coming to rest. All three crew members were slightly injured.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules at Tonle Cham AFB

Date & Time: Nov 28, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

61-2644

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

MSN:

3682

YOM:

1962

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Upon landing at Tonle Cham AFB, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid for few dozen yards then veered off runway and came to rest. All five crew members were uninjured.

Probable cause:

The nose gear collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 near Buôn Ma Thuột: 23 killed

Date & Time: Oct 20, 1968 at 0600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

45-0934

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saigon – Đà Nẵng – Hong Kong

MSN:

16937/34196

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 9,000 feet on a flight from Saigon to Đà Nẵng, the right engine failed. The crew was unable to feather the propeller nor to maintain the assigned altitude so the captain decided to divert to Buôn Ma Thuột Airport. While descending, the airplane went out of control and crashed at an altitude of 700 meters on a plateau located 18 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 23 occupants were killed, among them two US civilians.
Crew:
Lt Col Howard Elmer Van Vliet,
Lt Col Robert Brooks Richardson,
Lt Col Council Lee Royal,
Maj Gerald Eugene Burgener,
Maj Basil Lincoln Ciriello,
Maj Gerald Dean Ziehe,
Cpt Gayland Omer Scott,
M/Sgt William Parker Bowman,
T/Sgt Donald William Bruck,
T/Sgt Billy Day Morris,
T/Sgt John Derral Thomas,
S/Sgt Eugene William Hendricks.

Probable cause:

Engine failure for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45H Expeditor in Saigon

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor

Operator:

Registration:

N343T

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh City District

MSN:

AF-836

YOM:

1954

Location:

Saigon

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The right engine caught fire upon landing at Saigon Airport. The pilot escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Engine fire on landing.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou in Hàm Tân

Date & Time: Oct 7, 1968

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

63-9745

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

198

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Hàm Tân district, South Vietnam.

Probable cause:

It is reported that the accident was the consequence of a pilot error.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou at Camp Evans AFB: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1968 at 1610 LT

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou

Operator:

Registration:

63-9753

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

213

YOM:

1964

Location:

Camp Evans AFB (Huế)

Thừa Thiên–Huế Province

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Shortly after takeoff from Camp Evans AFB, while climbing to an altitude of 335 meters, the Caribou collided with a USAF Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook registered 66-19041 that was approaching the same airbase with 6 passengers and five crew members on board. The rear rotor of the Chinook struck the cockpit of the Caribou. Following the collision, the Chinook and the Caribou dove into the ground and crashed few hundred yards from the runway end. All 26 occupants were killed in the accident and up to date, this was considered as the worst aerial collision involving USAF in Vietnam. At the time of the accident, the Caribou speed was about 190 km/h while the Chinook was approaching Camp Evans at a speed of 185 km/h.
Caribou crew:
Cpt Wayne Philip Bundy,
1st Lt Ralph Schiavone,
S/Sgt Donald Gene Cleaver,
S/Sgt James Kenneth Connor.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the collision was the consequence of several violations on part of the Chinook crew who was attempting to land on an helipad located 300 meters to the left of the main runway. The following findings were reported:
- The crew failed to contact ground control at Camp Evans AFB prior to its arrival,
- The crew was not authorized to approach Camp Evans AFB at that time,
- The crew failed to respect the maximum altitude of 180 meters fixed for helicopters in that area and was approaching at a too high altitude of 335 meters,
- The crew was approaching Camp Evans from a non assigned approach path for helicopters.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123 Provider in Vĩnh Long

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1968 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

54-0714

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Supply

Survivors:

Site: