Vietnam | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Shortly after takeoff from Phú Quốc Island Airport, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed into the sea few dozen meters offshore. 15 people were killed while 21 others were rescued. Most of the passengers were prisoners.

Probable cause:

Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a Douglas C-54 Skymaster in Buon Ma Thuot: 62 killed

Date & Time: Mar 19, 1973 at 1005 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

XV-NUI

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Saigon – Đà Nẵng

MSN:

22174

YOM:

1945

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While in cruising altitude on a flight from Saigon to Đà Nẵng, the four engine aircraft disappeared from radar screens. The crew was unable to send any distress message. The wreckage was found few hours later about 24 km south of Buôn Ma Thuột and all 62 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. An explosion from an unknown origin occurred in the cargo hold, between both wings, causing a brutal decompression of the cabin and the explosion of the airplane. The assumption that the detonation was caused by an explosive device was not ruled out.

Crash of a Fairchild AC-119K Flying Boxcar off Vietnam: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 1, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar

Operator:

Registration:

53-7839

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

MSN:

11256

YOM:

1953

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching the coast to land on an unknown airport, the crew was unable to locate the airfield due to thick fog. The captain evacuated the area and flew over the sea when few minutes later, he ordered all 16 crew members to bail out and to abandon the aircraft that crashed into the sea. 15 occupants were rescued while one was killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress in Đà Nẵng

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0116

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

17232

YOM:

1955

Location:

Đà Nẵng

Đà Nẵng City District

Country:

Vietnam

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While engaged in a bombing mission over North Vietnam, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. The captain decided to evacuate the target area and to divert to Đà Nẵng Airport for an emergency landing. After touchdown completed in difficult conditions, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining runway, overran and came to rest. While all six crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-10-BW Stratofortress into the Gulf of Tonkin

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0056

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

464008

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While flying over Vinh in North Vietnam, the airplane was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The captain decided to evacuate the target area but with two engines out of service, electric and hydraulic systems out, he ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The airplane crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin and all six crew members, wounded, were evacuated by the crew of a USAF HH-53 helicopter and USMC CH-46 helicopter.
Crew:
Lt Col Gerald Wickline, pilot,
Cpt William "Bill" F. Milcarek, copilot,
Cpt Myles McTernan, navigator,
Maj Roger A. Klingbeil, radio navigator,
Cpt William E. Fergason, EWO,
T/Sgt Carlos S. Killgore, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress in Trùng Quán: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

56-0605

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

17288

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane was engaged in the Linebacker II mission over North Vietnam, carrying six crew members from Andersen AFB, Guam. While overflying the Hanoi area, the aircraft was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. Out of control, it crashed in Trùng Quán, a district located northeast of Hanoi. Two crew members were killed while four others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Frank Lewis, pilot,
Cpt Samuel Cusimano, copilot,
1st Lt Bennie Fryer, navigator, †
Maj James Condon, radio navigator,
Maj Allen Johnson, EWO, †
M/Sgt James Gough, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-35-BW Stratofortress in Hanoi: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 26, 1972 at 2148 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

56-0674

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

464045

YOM:

1956

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 shot down by the pilot of a North Vietnam MiG-21 fighter and crashed in the district of Giáp Nhị in Hanoi. Two crew members were killed four others were rescued and taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Robert John Morris Jr., pilot, †
1st Lt Robert Markham Hudson, copilot,
1st Lt Duane Paul Vavroch, navigator,
Col Michael Harold La Beau, radio navigator,
Cpt Nutter Jerome Wimbrow III, EWO, †
M/Sgt James Raymond Cook, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-1-BW Stratofortress in Bạch Mai

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0050

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

464002

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 plane went out of control and crashed in Bạch Mai, a district of Hanoi. All six crew members were taken PoW.
Crew:
Lt Col John Harr Yuill, pilot,
Cpt David Ian Drummond, copilot,
1st Lt William Thomas Mayall, navigator,
Lt Col William Walter Conlee, EWO,
Lt Col Louis Henry Bernasconi, radio navigator,
M/Sgt Gary Lee Morgan, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-15-BW Stratofortress in Bạch Mai: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 21, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

55-0061

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

U-Tapao - U-Tapao

MSN:

464013

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

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 plane went out of control and crashed in Bạch Mai, a district of Hanoi. Three crew members were killed while three others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Peter James Giroux, pilot,
Cpt Thomas Waring Bennett, copilot, †
1st Lt Joseph Bernard Copack Jr., navigator, †
Cpt Peter Paul Camerota, EWO,
Lt Col Gerald William Alley, †
M/Sgt Louis Edward LeBlanc Jr., air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress in Kinh No: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1972

Type of aircraft:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Operator:

Registration:

58-0169

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

464237

YOM:

1958

Flight number:

Tan 03

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Andersen AFB on Guam Island under call sign Tan 03 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) and crash in Kinh No. A crew member survived while five others were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Randall James Craddock, pilot, †
Cpt George Barry Lockhart, copilot, †
1st Lt Charles Edward Darr, navigator, †
Maj Bobby Alexander Kirby, radio navigator, †
Cpt Ronald Dwight Perry, EWO, †
M/Sgt James Leon Lollar, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

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