Crash of a Douglas B-26C Invader off Iquique: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
817
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Iquique – Antofagasta
MSN:
27410
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from Iquique Airport, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 15 km offshore. Both crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Tây Ninh

Date & Time: Jun 25, 1968 at 1415 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-1861
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Katum - Tuy Hòa
MSN:
3825
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Katum Airfield, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. The pilot decided to divert to Tây Ninh Airfield for an emergency landing when the engine number one caught fire. It was shot down and its propeller was feathered. Upon landing, the left wing was on fire and the left main gear still retracted. The airplane came to rest and was later destroyed by fire while all five crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Shut down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Vickers 648 Varsity T.1 at RAF Stradishall

Date & Time: Jun 10, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
WL677
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
YOM:
1953
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the airplane landed hard, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The airplane then slid for several yards and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou in Đắk Tô

Date & Time: May 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4189
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cam Ranh Bay – Đắk Tô
MSN:
132
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
26
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Đắk Tô Airfield, the airplane was hit by enemy fire, stalled and crashed in flames short of runway threshold. All 30 occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2M off Gdańsk

Date & Time: May 28, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
636
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1G36-36
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
For unknown reason, the floatplane landed hard off Gdańsk and sank. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas VC-54G at Hanscom Field AFB

Date & Time: May 22, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
45-0585
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Andrews - Hanscom Field
MSN:
36038
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Bedford-Hanscom Field AFB, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck trees, stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located less than a mile from the runway threshold. All three crew members were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Khâm Đức: 155 killed

Date & Time: May 12, 1968 at 0720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
60-0297
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Khâm Đức - Saigon
MSN:
3600
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
150
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
155
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Khâm Đức Airfield, while in initial climb, the aircraft was shot down by North-Vietnamese soldiers who were conducting an assault of the airbase. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion some 4 km east of the airfield. All 155 occupants, South-Vietnamese soldiers with their wife and children, were killed. Up to date, this was the worst crash by the USAF and the worst in Vietnam.
Crew:
Maj Bernard Ludwig Bucher,
1st Lt Stephan Craig Moreland,
S/Sgt Frank Monroe Hepler,
A1C George Wendell Long,
Maj John Lee McElroy,
Cpt Warren Robert Orr (was among the passenger).
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Khâm Đức

Date & Time: May 12, 1968 at 0720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0548
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3156
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On approach to Khâm Đức Airfield, the aircraft was hit by small artillery and hydraulic systems failed. After touch down, the aircraft was uncontrollable and veered off runway before hitting a parked helicopter. All five crewmen were unhurt but the aircraft was later intentionally destroyed. Crew, from the 21st squadron, was flying to Khâm Đức to evacuate troops on an emergency evacuation process of the camp.
Crew:
Captain Delmore, pilot,
Joe Donahue, copilot.
Thanks to Bill Schneider from the Khâm Đức Group, who added the following comment: the aircraft was guided off the runway on purpose by superior flying skills. It did not catch on fire at that time but was destroyed for good by USAF fighters that destroyed all remaining assets on the ground, including the SF Camp, engineer equipment and anything that could be of any value to the North Vietnam Army. Delmore's crew was picked up just a few minutes later by a USMC CH-46 helicopter.
Probable cause:
Hydraulic failure on approach caused by artillery bullets.

Crash of an Armstrong Whitworth AW.650 Argosy C.1 in Got El Afrag: 11 killed

Date & Time: May 7, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
XR133
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Al Adam - Got El Afrag
MSN:
6788
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While approaching Got El Afrag Airstrip, the crew request the permission to complete a low pass to confirm if the landing gear were down. At low height, the pilot made a turn to the right when the right wing struck the ground, causing the aircraft to crash and burn. All 11 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged the distance with the ground.