Crash of a Lockheed L-382B-4C Hercules near Chaklala AFB: 22 killed

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
64145
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4145
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
18
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Circumstances:
While cruising in clouds, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion near the Chaklala Airbase. All 22 occupants were killed, most of them civilians.
Probable cause:
It is believed the loss of control was caused by severe turbulences encountered while cruising in poor weather conditions.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules at Bunard Camp

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0480
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kadena - Bunard Camp
MSN:
3088
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Kadena to Bunard Camp located 80 km north of Biên Hòa. On short final, the aircraft encountered turbulences caused by the rotor of a USAF helicopter and control was lost. The airplane landed hard and came to rest. All five crew members were unhurt but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Heavy landing caused by rotor turbulences.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Khe Sanh: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 13, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0967
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mactan - Khe Sanh
MSN:
3654
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
After landing at Khe Sanh Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left then collided with several vehicles (trucks) and came to rest in flames. All eight occupants were injured and the passenger died from his injuries few days later.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by the failure of the pitch control system on engines number three and four.

Crash of a De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 in Egypt: 9 killed

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
900
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Al-Bahariya - Cairo
MSN:
04090
YOM:
1947
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane departed the oasis of Al-Bahariya on a flight to Cairo, carrying a crew of two and seven passengers, among them one child. En route, weather conditions worsened and the pilot apparently lost his orientation. In such conditions, the crew decided to reduce his altitude and attempted an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a desert area located approximately 100 km northeast of Al-Bahariya. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair while all nine occupants survived the accident. Rescue teams were unable to localize the airplane and all nine occupants died of thirst few days later. The wreckage was eventually found by camels more than three years later, on June 1st 1978.
Probable cause:
It is believed the crew lost his orientation following the in-flight failure of several instruments.

Crash of a Havilland U-6A Beaver in Hsinchu: 1 killed

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Taipei – Ching Chuan Kang
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The pilot departed Taipei Airport on a flight to the Ching Chuan Kang Airbase located in Taichung. En route, the single engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances near Hsinchu. The pilot Maj John J. Ahern, sole on board, was killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Mueda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
6167
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tete - Mueda
MSN:
13018
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
On approach to Mueda, the airplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in flames few km short of runway. All three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-45 Expeditor in Liberdade do Sul: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 17, 1968 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Belo Horizonte – São José dos Campos
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route, the pilot encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing when he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a field in Liberdade do Sul. A passenger was rescued while three other occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47P in Ben Het

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
44-77016
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nha Trang - Nha Trang
MSN:
16600/33348
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was involved in a radio intelligence mission over Laos. While cruising at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and the left engine caught fire. The crew was able to leave the combat zone and to return to South Vietnam before completing an emergency landing at the special forces camp of Ben Het. The aircraft crash landed and was destroyed while all six crew members escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Khe Sanh: 50 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1968 at 0800 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0590
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Huế – Khe Sanh
MSN:
20039
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
45
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
50
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Huế to Khe Sanh, carrying troops and spare parts. On approach, the crew was forced to make a go-around because of the presence of a light aircraft on runway. Shortly later, the airplane was hit by ground fire. The left engine caught fire and the airplane crashed in a dense wooded area located 2 km from the airfield. All 50 occupants were killed, 5 crew members, 44 soldiers and one civilian photographer.
Crew:
Lt Col Frederick Jordan Hampton,
1st Lt Ellis Eugene Helgeson,
Sgt Jeffrey Francis Conlin,
S/Sgt William Frank Anselmo,
S/Sgt Noel Luis Rios.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Ground accident of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II at Hickam AFB

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
51-5198
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43608
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered a ground accident at Hickam Field AFB. There were no casualties while the aircraft was destroyed.