Date & Time:
Dec 20, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
62-1843
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nha Trang – Tuy Hòa
MSN:
3123
YOM:
1957
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
5
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was attempting to land at Tuy Hòa Airport under a very low cloud base when it was hit by ground fire 8 km south of the airbase and crashed killing all five crew members. The airplane, based at Nha Trang, was bringing in a load of 13 tons of aviation fuel and it was 1st Lt Smith's first mission as aircraft commander. Enemy action was never actually confirmed to have caused the loss of this aircraft which may simply have flown into high ground in poor visibility. For some reason the remains of 1st Lt Wax were not recovered and identified until December 1996.
Crew:
1st Lt Donald Clayton Smith,
1st David J. Wax,
Cpt Terry Fisher Katterhenry,
T/Sgt William Henry Crisp,
A1C Willie Mitchell.
Source: Chris Hobson
Crew:
1st Lt Donald Clayton Smith,
1st David J. Wax,
Cpt Terry Fisher Katterhenry,
T/Sgt William Henry Crisp,
A1C Willie Mitchell.
Source: Chris Hobson
