Date & Time:
Dec 27, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
56-0599
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17282
YOM:
1956
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in the Linebacker II mission over North Vietnam, carrying six crew members from U-Tapao NAS. While overflying the Hanoi area, the aircraft was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The crew decided to leave the target area and to return to U-Tapao NAS for an emergency landing. As the four engines on the left side were out of service, the crew decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed in an isolated area. All six crew were found alive.
Crew:
Cpt John Mize, pilot,
Cpt Terrence Gruters, copilot,
Lt William Robinson, navigator,
Cpt Dennis Anderson, EWO,
Cpt William North, radio navigator,
T/Sgt Peter E. Whalen, air gunner.
Crew:
Cpt John Mize, pilot,
Cpt Terrence Gruters, copilot,
Lt William Robinson, navigator,
Cpt Dennis Anderson, EWO,
Cpt William North, radio navigator,
T/Sgt Peter E. Whalen, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.
