Vietnam

While on a VIP flight within Vietnam, the airplane was struck by enemy fire. The airplane caught fire and the crew elected to make an emergency landing. The aircraft eventually crash landed in an open field and came to rest in flames. All 34 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crashed whilst serving with the 138th Aviation Company. The pilot, US Army Capt. Harry M. Ravenna, and passenger, US Marine Corps Cpl. John C. Keiper, were-on a routine flight from Dong Ha to Da Nang. Keiper while assigned to Helicopter Attack Maintenance Squadron 16, Marine Air Group 16. Their role on this mission is unclear from public record. Ravenna was assigned to the 138th Aviation Company, 224th U.S. Army Security Agency Battalion (Aviation), U.S. Army Security Agency Group, Vietnam. All missions of this agency were-highly classified during the war and secret cover designations (Radio Research Units) were-used instead of the actual unit designations on station lists and reports. The 138th was based at Da Nang. Ravenna filed a VFR (visual flight rules) flight plan, but ran into poor weather conditions. He radioed Dong Ha and requested radar guidance. At 14:30 hours, he passed into Da Nang airfield radar control and radioed, “Lonely Ranger 723, heading 125, at 3,000 feet, estimating Da Nang at 40, request radar. Presently on instruments.” Having trouble bringing him onto radar screen, Da Nang instructed Ravenna to activate his transponder, but this did not improve radar contact, so they asked his location, which he gave as 45 nautical miles from Dong Ha. Da Nang instructed him to re-contact Dong Ha (believing he was out of Da Nang range and still in that of Dong Ha). Ravenna acknowledged the transmission; radio contact was broken, and never resumed. Ravenna and Keiper were-last believed to be in South Vietnam about halfway between Da Nang and the city of Hue. Later investigation concluded that on his present course, had it been followed, Ravenna’s aircraft would have impacted with the side of a mountain in that vicinity. The hostile threat in the area prevented extensive search, and all efforts to discover the status of Ravenna and Keiper have failed.
Crew:
Cpt Harry M. Ravenna.
Passenger:
Cpl John C. Keiper.
Source: http://www.dhc-2.com/cn872.html

The aircraft was used in psychological warfare role. It was fitted with loudspeakers for the delivery of propaganda messages. In flight, an engine failed, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all four crew members were rescued.

The crew was involved in a defoliant mission when, cruising at low height, the aircraft was struck by enemy fire. The crew was able to completed an emergency landing 13 km west of Lai Khê. While the aircraft was damaged beyond repair, all three crew members were rescued 25 minutes later by the crew of a helicopter.

While cruising at low altitude in poor weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a hill located in the region of An Khe. A crew member was killed while two other occupants were rescued.

After touchdown at Cam Ranh Bay Airport, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance and overran. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest few dozen yards further on. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

While approaching An Khe Airport on a troop transport flight from Hammond, the airplane was too low. The crew was instructed to perform a go-around and the captain increased engine power when the airplane struck trees, stalled and crashed on Mt Hong Kong located few km west of the airfield. All four crew members and 10 passengers were killed while 18 others were injured.

The airplane was returning to Nha Trang following an airlift mission. In unclear circumstances, it appears the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire and crashed 25 km south of Cam Ranh Bay. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Jerome Joseph Smith,
1st Lt James Howard Graff,
1st Lt David Albert Thorpe,
S/Sgt Raymond Lee Wheeler,
A1C Billy Jack Clayton.

The aircraft was set off for a surveillance mission around the Pathet Lao stronghold of Sam Neua. During the mission the aircraft flew close to (and may even have crossed) the border into North Vietnam. MiGs had occasionally been seen operating close to the Laotian border but it was thought that they posed little threat to aircraft operating in the Sam Neua area. However, a MiG-17 made a high speed dash to the border and shot down the RC-47D before making off deep into North Vietnam. All eight crew members were killed:
Crew:
Cpt Bernard Conklin,
Cpt Robert Eugene Hoskinson,
1st Lt Vincent Augustus Chiarello,
1st Lt Robert Joseph Di Tommaso,
Maj Galileo Fred Bossio,
T/Sgt John Micheo Mamiya,
T/Sgt Herbert Eugene Smith,
S/Sgt James Shreve Hall.
Source: Chris Hobson.

Shortly after takeoff from Đà Nẵng Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane stalled and crashed past the runway end. Seven crew members were killed were all 24 other occupants were injured, some of them seriously. The airplane was engaged in a troop transport from Đà Nẵng to Saigon. Engine failure is suspected.
Those killed were:
Lt Col David Cleeland,
Maj Clifton Bishop Andrews,
Maj Gerard Martin Kieswetter,
Cpt Jerome Cordell Winters,
Sgt Robert Clayton Morre,
G/Sgt Willis Shepherd Bowman,
Cpl Mickey Ray Grable.