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Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou at Camp Evans AFB: 13 killed

Date & Time: Oct 3, 1968 at 1610 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
Operator:
Registration:
63-9753
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
213
YOM:
1964
Location:
Camp Evans AFB (Huế)
Thừa Thiên–Huế Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Camp Evans AFB, while climbing to an altitude of 335 meters, the Caribou collided with a USAF Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook registered 66-19041 that was approaching the same airbase with 6 passengers and five crew members on board. The rear rotor of the Chinook struck the cockpit of the Caribou. Following the collision, the Chinook and the Caribou dove into the ground and crashed few hundred yards from the runway end. All 26 occupants were killed in the accident and up to date, this was considered as the worst aerial collision involving USAF in Vietnam. At the time of the accident, the Caribou speed was about 190 km/h while the Chinook was approaching Camp Evans at a speed of 185 km/h.
Caribou crew:
Cpt Wayne Philip Bundy,
1st Lt Ralph Schiavone,
S/Sgt Donald Gene Cleaver,
S/Sgt James Kenneth Connor.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was the consequence of several violations on part of the Chinook crew who was attempting to land on an helipad located 300 meters to the left of the main runway. The following findings were reported:
- The crew failed to contact ground control at Camp Evans AFB prior to its arrival,
- The crew was not authorized to approach Camp Evans AFB at that time,
- The crew failed to respect the maximum altitude of 180 meters fixed for helicopters in that area and was approaching at a too high altitude of 335 meters,
- The crew was approaching Camp Evans from a non assigned approach path for helicopters.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN at U-Tapao AFB: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
55-3138
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Refuelling
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
17254
YOM:
1957
Location:
Pattaya-U-Tapao
Rayong (ระยอง)
Country:
Thailand
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
6999
Circumstances:
While taking off from U-Tapao AFB, the engine number four lost power. The airplane stalled and crashed in flames near the runway end and was destroyed by a post impact fire. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of power on engine number four during takeoff for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A on Wake Island: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 24, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
55-3133
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Andersen - Hickam - Loring
MSN:
17249
YOM:
1957
Location:
Wake Island
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
52
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Aircraft flight hours:
6681
Circumstances:
En route from Andersen AFB (GUam Island) to Hickam, Honolulu, the crew reported engine problems and the captain decided to divert to Wake Island Airport. On short final, the aircraft was too low and struck approach lights. On impact, the empennage was torn off and the aircraft crashed in flames. Eleven passengers were killed while 45 other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Engine problems in flight.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123 Provider in Vĩnh Long

Date & Time: Sep 12, 1968 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
54-0714
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
20163
YOM:
1954
Location:
Vĩnh Long
Vĩnh Long Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Vĩnh Long Airstrip, the crew encountered technical problems. The airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
One of the propeller went into reverse due to a malfunction, causing the airplane to veer off runway.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Bảo Lộc: 5 killed

Date & Time: Sep 6, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
62-1785
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
3730
YOM:
1962
Location:
Bảo Lộc
Lâm Đồng Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The aircraft was on airlift flight from Tuy Hoa when it was damaged by fire about a mile south of Tan Phat airfield near the city of Bảo Lộc, 85 miles southwest of Cam Ranh Bay. The pilot tried to land the aircraft but it crashed before he could set it down. However, one source claims that the aircraft was not lost in enemy action but crashed into a hill in bad weather.
Crew:
Cpt David Horace Risher,
Cpt Leonard Selaniko,
Maj Eugene Winfield Hartman,
T/Sgt Ralph James Lund,
Sgt Jesus Ochoa.
Source: Chris Hobson.

Crash of a Boeing B-52C-45-BO Stratofortress in Cape Canaveral

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
54-2667
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
McCoy - McCoy
MSN:
17163
YOM:
1954
Location:
Cape Canaveral
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Few minutes after takeoff from McCoy AFB in Orlando, the crew encountered technical problems with the flaps when the electrical system failed. Due to subsequent fuel starvation, the crew decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. The aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion near Cape Canaveral. All seven occupants were uninjured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the electrical system.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in Trabzon

Date & Time: Aug 29, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-118 Liftmaster
Operator:
Registration:
53-3243
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
44614/537
YOM:
1955
Location:
Trabzon
Black Sea Region (Karadeniz Bölgesi)
Country:
Turkey
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at Trabzon Airport. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou near An Lộc: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1968
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
Operator:
Registration:
62-4177
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
118
YOM:
1963
Location:
An Lộc
Bình Phước Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
While on an airlift flight near the Cambodian border, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire on its starboard wing. The airplane went out of control and crashed in flames, killing all three crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Robert George Bull,
1st Lt Ralph William Manners,
A1C David Frederick Sleeper.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar in Wilmington: 6 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Wilmington – Otis
Location:
Wilmington
Ohio
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
27
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Wilmington-Clinton County Airport, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames in a field. It was engaged in a flight to Otis AFB, carrying 11 military personnels and 20 civilians. Six members of the 907 TAG were killed.
Those killed were:
T/Sgt William B. Hansford III,
Sgt Ernest L. Arehart,
Sgt Richard N. Hall,
Sgt David A. Husinga,
A1C Paul L. Ruschau,
A1C Michael L. Wiford.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker on Mt Lassen: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
56-3655
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Castle - Castle
MSN:
17404
YOM:
1958
Location:
Mt Lassen
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Aircraft flight hours:
6089
Circumstances:
The crew departed Castle AFB on a training mission. After completing a simulated emergency descent from FL390 to FL230, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn when control was lost. The airplane crashed on Mt Lassen and was totally destroyed. All nine crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the physical loss of the stabilizer which detached during the sharp turn, maybe due to overload.
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