Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II in Cape Newenham

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1972
Operator:
Registration:
51-0132
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
43466
YOM:
1951
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Cape Newenham Airport, the four engine airplane went out of control and veered off runway. It went down an embankment, lost its tail and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Sóc Trăng: 30 killed

Date & Time: Aug 12, 1972 at 0400 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-1853
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3817
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Sóc Trăng, while climbing to a height of 500 feet, the airplane was hit by small arms, went out of control and crashed in a field. Seven crew members and 23 passengers (US and South-Vietnamese soldiers) were killed. Fourteen other occupants were injured.
Crew killed were:
Maj Jerry Duane Vance,
Cpt Terry Kohler,
Maj James Wesley Fulk,
Cpt Merrill Howard Masin,
Cpt Charles Price Roberts,
Cpt Timmie Joe Ward,
M/Sgt Ray Edwin Tannehill.
Probable cause:
Shot down by small arms after takeoff.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-35-BW Stratofortress near At Samat: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0677
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
464048
YOM:
1956
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The heavy bomber aircraft departed Ubon Ratchathani Airport on a mission over Laos and Vietnam. Few minutes after takeoff, while cruising in stormy weather, the airplane was hit by lightning. Several instruments went out of service and shortly later, the left wing caught fire. The airplane went out of control and entered a dive during which a crew member was able to eject safely. He was later recovered and evacuated. Unfortunately, all five other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Thomas W. Reasor, †
Cpt Ronald A. Ashe, †
Maj James E. Hudelson, †
Cpt David J. Price, †
Cpt Joseph L. Ruzicka, †
M/Sgt Eugene C. Gries.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the aircraft was struck by lightning, which caused several instruments to be unserviceable. Few seconds later, a fire erupted in the left wing, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-130-BW Stratofortress off Andersen AFB: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1972 at 0525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59-2600
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
464363
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a military mission to Vietnam and departed Andersen Air Base in Guam by night. While climbing in poor weather conditions, the airplane became unstable. The pilot-in-command elected to stabilize the airplane making a level off but eventually, the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the aircraft crashed into the sea and was destroyed. Few hours later, five crew members were found and evacuated. Unfortunately, a six occupant (Lt Col James Lloyd Vaughan) was missing. His dead body was found 42 days later on a beach on Yap Island.
Probable cause:
It was determined that an improperly secured chin radome flew off during initial climb, causing the aircraft to become unstable. When the chin radome detached, it struck the Pitot tubes, causing wrong datas to be transmitted to the instruments. The airplane was leveled off and allowed to decelerate into a stabilized low-speed stall before being abandoned.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in the A Shau Valley: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 1972 at 2355 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0043
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ubon Ratchathani - Ubon Ratchathani
MSN:
3070
YOM:
1957
Flight number:
Spectre 11
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Ubon Ratchathani Air Base in Thailand on a night armed reconnaissance mission to attack elite NVA forces known to be infiltrating from Laos into South Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. While making a second low pass over the target area, the airplane's n°3 engine was hit by a Strela SA-7 missile. The airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in the A Shau Valley. 12 crew members were killed while three others were rescued.
Crew:
Cpt Paul Faris Gilbert, †
Cpt Robert Allan Wilson, †
Cpt Gordon Bocher,
Maj Gerald Francis Ayres, †
Maj Robert Herman Harrison, †
Cpt Mark Giles Danielson, †
2nd Lt Robert Reid,
M/Sgt Jacob Edward Mercer, †
T/Sgt Richard Milton Cole, †
S/Sgt Donald Herman Klinke, †
S/Sgt Larry Jerome Newman, †
S/Sgt Richard E. Nyhof, †
S/Sgt Leon Andrew Hunt, †
S/Sgt Stanley Lawrence Lehrke, †
S/Sgt William P. Patterson.
Probable cause:
Shot down by ground fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130D Hercules in Dye 3: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1972 at 0655 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0495
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Thule - Dye 3
MSN:
3202
YOM:
1958
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
6258
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a supply mission from Thule Airbase to Dye 3 Airstrip located about 320 km east of Sondreströmfjord, Greenland. On final approach, the airplane lost height and struck the ground. On impact, the landing gear, skis, outboard fuel tanks, and the number one engine were torn off as well as 12 feet from the left wing tip and six feet of the right wing tip. The airplane came to rest in flames in the snow. Seven occupants were slightly injured while the eighth one, a Danish citizen, was killed when a propeller blade detached and penetrated the fuselage.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the approach speed was too low, causing the airplane to stall during the last segment.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules off Magong AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jun 5, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-1805
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Taipei - Taipei
MSN:
3759
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew departed Taipei-Songshan on a maritime patrol flight over the China Sea. En route, in unknown circumstances, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off the Magong AFB located in the south part of the Penghu Islands (Pescadores Islands). The aircraft sank and was lost and all six crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown but it was reported that the crew apparently encountered technical issues with the undercarriage.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Kon Tum: 4 killed

Date & Time: May 17, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-7798
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3864
YOM:
1963
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Kon Tum, while in initial climb, the airplane was hit by a 122 mm rocket and crashed in flames in a field. A crew member survived while four others were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Pilatus AU-23A Peacemaker at Eglin AFB

Date & Time: May 10, 1972
Operator:
Registration:
72-1309
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Eglin - Eglin
MSN:
2055
YOM:
1972
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a series of test flights on this brand new aircraft that should be delivered to the Royal Thai Air Force. Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the engine failed. The airplane lost height and crashed. Both occupants were injured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-110-BW Stratofortress at Griffiss AFB

Date & Time: May 8, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59-2574
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Griffiss - Griffiss
MSN:
464337
YOM:
1959
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While in a low level rout one of the engines on the left side of the aircraft malfunctioned and became uncontrollable and was shut down. Hours later on final approach to Griffiss, in a driving rainstorm at night, the copilot, following the checklist turned on the starter switches for all the engines including the one that had been shut down. The shutdown engine that was now wind milling somewhere in the descent reignited and started to increase to max power. The pilots were unaware of this. As the aircraft flared out over the runway with the engine heading toward max power and the landing gear barely touching the ground the aircraft was unable to slow down to engage the brakes. The drag shut was released but failed to deploy. Unable to stop the pilot elected to go-around and increased power…but then made the decision there was not enough runways remaining and cut back the power and announced to the crew that they were going of off the end of the runway. The impact resulted in the aircraft breaking in half just behind the crew compartment and skidding down the embankment with the outboard run-away engine still running as the gear, and AGM 28 Missiles were sheared off. The Boeing reprehensive stated that most likely the only reason the aircraft did not explode on impact was due to the mud caused by the heavy rain. All crew members survived.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
The official cause of the accident was listed as hydroplaning.