Crash of a Fairchild C-119C-25-FA Flying Boxcar in Scranton: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 8, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
51-2611
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Hartford – Binghamton
MSN:
10600
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a flight from Hartford to Binghamton, carrying a load of various equipments. En route, one of the engine failed and the pilot was unable to maintain a safe altitude. At an altitude of 2,000 feet, the mechanic bailed out when the airplane dove into the ground and crashed onto a house located in Scranton. Both pilots were killed as well as a boy on the ground.
Probable cause:
Engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in Pleiku: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jan 6, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0972
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon – Pleiku
MSN:
3669
YOM:
1962
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
On final approach to Pleiku Airport, at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and crashed about 5 km from the airfield. All five crew members were killed. The airplane was performing a flight from Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, carrying a load of 30,000 pounds of detonators.
Crew (463 TCW Mactan, Philippines):
Cpt Richard Joseph Callanan,
Cpt Lee Christopher Dixon,
1st Lt Jon Alfred Greenley,
S/Sgt James Robert Lute,
A2C Lowell Franklin White.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a De Havilland CV-2B Caribou in Shau Valley

Date & Time: Dec 31, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4148
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
84
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in the Shau Valley following an engine failure. The exact date of the occurrence remains unknown (crashed somewhere in 1965) as well as the occupant's fate.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D Spooky in Vietnam: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 17, 1965
Operator:
Registration:
43-49492
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Saigon – Phan Rang
MSN:
15308/26753
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The aircraft went missing during a night cross country courier flight between Saigon and Phan Rang. The wreckage was found on 23 December and the indications were that the aircraft had been shot down by ground fire. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Robert William Abbot,
Maj Robert Lloyd Abernathy,
1st Lt Francis Richard Buckley,
M/Sgt Joseph Anthony Cestaric,
T/Sgt John Monroe Chappell,
T/Sgt Thomas Newton Sloan,
S/Sgt Ralph Leon Hinson,
A1C Claude Wesley Matthews,
A1C Johnson Ashley Meade.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-18-FA Provider near Tuy Hòa: 85 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1965 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-4376
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pleiku – Tuy Hòa
MSN:
20260
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
81
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
85
Circumstances:
While descending to Tuy Hòa Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with rain falls. While flying at low height, the airplane struck tree tops then stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area located about 30 km east of the Tuy Hòa Airfield. As the airplane crashed in an enemy zone, it was not possible to intervene immediately and the first rescuers reached the crash site two weeks later only. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 85 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the ceiling was down to 50 feet from the ground and the crew was apparently not aware of his too low altitude.
Crew:
Maj Robert Milvoy Horsky,
Cpt George Parker McKnight,
S/Sgt Mercedes Perez Salinas,
S/Sgt Donald David Stewart.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver AL1 in Ad Dali'

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1965
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XP777
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1448
YOM:
1960
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While taking off from Ad Dali' (Dhala) airstrip, the airplane encountered downdraft and lost height, causing the tail wheel to struck the ground. The airplane went out of control and crashed. While both occupants were uninjured, the airplane was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Caught by downdrafts on takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL near Ankara: 9 killed

Date & Time: Nov 6, 1965 at 2020 LT
Operator:
Registration:
H-60
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Konya – Ankara
MSN:
19724
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While approaching Ankara-Etimesgut Airport by night and in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near the village of Yuva, some 12 km west of the airport. All nine occupants were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54 Skymaster off Puerto Limón: 69 killed

Date & Time: Nov 3, 1965 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TC-48
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Buenos Aires - Howard - San Salvador
MSN:
35983
YOM:
1945
Country:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
60
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
69
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight from Buenos Aires to the US with intermediate stops at Howard AFB and San Salvador, carrying 60 cadets of the Argentinian Air Force and nine crew members. After his departure from Howard AFB, while overflying the Caribbean Sea along the Costa Rican coast, the captain reported to ATC that the engine number three was on fire and elected to divert to the nearest airport. This was the last radio contact with the crew as shortly later, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea off Puerto Limón. Few life vest and debris were found floating on water and none of the 69 occupants survived.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidence, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the accident.