Crash of a Boeing B-52G-100-BW Stratofortress in Kinh No: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0198
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
464266
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Andersen AFB on Guam Island with seven 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 crashed in Kinh No. Four crew members were killed while three others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Col James Yoshikazu Nagahiro, pilot,
Cpt Donovan Keith Walters, copilot, †
Lt Col Keith Russell Heggen,
Cpt Lynn Richard Beens, navigator,
Cpt Robert Ray Lynn, EWO, †
Maj Edward Harvey Johnson, radio navigator, †
A1C Charles "Chuck" James Bebus, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-85-BW Stratofortress in Yên Viên: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 20, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-6496
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
264201
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Quilt 3
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Andersen AFB on Guam Island under call sign Quilt 3 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 crashed in Yên Viên. Two crew members were killed while four others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Terry Mercer Geloneck, pilot,
1st Lt William Youl Arcuri, copilot,
1st Lt Michael Robert Martini, navigator,
Cpt Warren R. Spencer, radio navigator, †
Cpt Craig Alan Paul, EWO, †
S/Sgt Roy Madden, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-110-BW Stratofortress in Yên Viên: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0201
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
464269
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Andersen AFB on Guam Island 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 airplane lost height and crashed in a field located in Yên Viên and was destroyed. Three crew members were taken PoW while three others were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Donald Louis Rissi, pilot, †
1st Lt Robert James Thomas, copilot, †
Cpt Richard Thomas Simpson, EWO,
Cpt Robert Glenn Certain, navigator,
Maj Richard Edgar Johnson, radio navigator,
M/Sgt Walter Lee Ferguson, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress into Huu Tiep Lake: 2 killed

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0608
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17291
YOM:
1956
Flight number:
Rose 01
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed U-Tapao NAS in Thailand under call sign Rose 01 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 airplane lost height and crashed into the Huu Tiep Lake located in the center of Hanoi. Two crew members were killed while four others were taken PoW.
Crew:
Cpt Hal K. Wilson, pilot,
Cpt Charles Arthur Brown, copilot,
Cpt Richard Waller Cooper, navigator, †
Maj Fernando Alexander, radio navigator,
Cpt Henry Charles Barrows, EWO,
T/Sgt Charlie Sherman Poole, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-1-DC Skymaster in Bến Cát: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV-NUH
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vientiane - Saigon
MSN:
10588
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
While approaching Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport on a flight from Vientiane, the pilot informed ATC about technical problems when control was lost. The airplane crashed near Bến Cát, about 45 km north of Saigon and was destroyed. Three occupants were injured while 10 others were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Pleiku: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ST-2
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon - Pleiku
MSN:
20124
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
On approach to Pleiku Airport, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances few km from the airport. All eight occupants were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Sóc Trăng: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1972 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-1853
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3817
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sóc Trăng, while climbing to a height of 500 feet, the airplane was hit by small arms, went out of control and crashed in a field. Seven crew members and 23 passengers (US and South-Vietnamese soldiers) were killed. Fourteen other occupants were injured.
Crew killed were:
Maj Jerry Duane Vance,
Cpt Terry Kohler,
Maj James Wesley Fulk,
Cpt Merrill Howard Masin,
Cpt Charles Price Roberts,
Cpt Timmie Joe Ward,
M/Sgt Ray Edwin Tannehill.
Probable cause:
Shot down by small arms after takeoff.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in the A Shau Valley: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1972 at 2355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0043
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3070
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Spectre 11
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ubon Ratchathani Air Base in Thailand on a night armed reconnaissance mission to attack elite NVA forces known to be infiltrating from Laos into South Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While making a second low pass over the target area, the airplane's n°3 engine was hit by a Strela SA-7 missile. The airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in the A Shau Valley. 12 crew members were killed while three others were rescued.
Crew:
Cpt Paul Faris Gilbert, †
Cpt Robert Allan Wilson, †
Cpt Gordon Bocher,
Maj Gerald Francis Ayres, †
Maj Robert Herman Harrison, †
Cpt Mark Giles Danielson, †
2nd Lt Robert Reid,
M/Sgt Jacob Edward Mercer, †
T/Sgt Richard Milton Cole, †
S/Sgt Donald Herman Klinke, †
S/Sgt Larry Jerome Newman, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Nyhof, †
S/Sgt Leon Andrew Hunt, †
S/Sgt Stanley Lawrence Lehrke, †
S/Sgt William P. Patterson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Convair CV-880-22M-21 near Pleiku: 81 killed

Date & Time: Jun 15, 1972 at 1359 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VR-HFZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Singapore – Bangkok – Hong Kong
MSN:
22-00-53
YOM:
1961
Flight number:
CX700Z
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
71
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
81
Captain / Total flying hours:
14343
Captain / Total hours on type:
5261.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7649
Copilot / Total hours on type:
2687
Aircraft flight hours:
29434
Circumstances:
Flight CX700Z was a scheduled international flight from Singapore to Hong Kong with an en-route stop at Bangkok. It made a 55 minute stop at Bangkok during which 68 passengers and baggage were off loaded, and 35 passengers and baggage, in addition to 35 000 lbs of JP-1 fuel, were loaded. The aircraft took off from Bangkok at 0455 hours GMT bound for Hong Kong via airway Green 67 at FL290. The flight proceeded normally with the aircraft maintaining routine radio contact first with Bangkok ACC and from 0542 hours with Saigon ACC. The last message from the aircraft was received at 0554 hours by Saigon ACC giving the aircraft's position at 0553 hours over reporting point "PE5" at FL290, with an estimated time over "XVK" reporting point of 0606 hours. At 0620 hours, when no further messages had been received from the aircraft, Saigon ACC called it several times but received no reply. A request for information concerning the aircraft, made by Saigon ACC at 0640 hours to Hong Kong and then Taipei ACCs, produced negative results. The Distress Phase was initiated at 0715 hours and DETRESFA signalled to Tan Son Nhut RCC for appropriate action. The RCC advised Saigon ACC at 0755 hours that a Convair type aircraft had crashed about 30 NM southeast of Pleiku TACAN beacon. The aircraft was identified as VR-HFZ by two helicopter pilots who reached the accident site soon after the occurrence and while the wreckage was still burning. They recovered two bodies from the burning wreckage and flew them to Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and none of the 81 occupants survived the crash.
Probable cause:
The aircraft broke up in the air and caught fire following the detonation of a high explosive device within the passenger cabin.
Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-45-CU Commando near Pleiku: 32 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EM-2
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Huế – Pleiku – Buôn Ma Thuột – Saigon
MSN:
30460
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
29
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
32
Circumstances:
On approach to Pleiku Airport, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located few km from the airport. The awreckage was found about 15 meters below the summit and all 32 occupants were killed, among them 6 China Airlines employees (three crew members and three mechanics), 11 US soldiers, 14 South-Vietnam soldiers and one South-Vietnam civilian.