United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947)

The Spooky gunship on a night flare mission was flying a normal orbit off the coast near Cam Ranh Bay when it was observed to crash into the sea and explode. All on board the aircraft were killed in the crash, the cause of which was ascertained.
Crew:
Maj Burnett Neal,
Maj Bruce Reginald Williams,
1st Lt Clifford C. Barnett,
S/Sgt Frederick Edward Barnette,
S/Sgt Robert Wendell Davis,
S/Sgt Thomas Alfred Preaux,
A1C Michael Jeff Stephens.

The four engine airplane departed Otis AFB at 1858LT on a maritime patrol flight. Shortly after takeoff, the crew informed ground about the failure of the engine number three that caught fire and was cleared to divert to Nantucket for an emergency landing. While approaching Nantucket Island, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea. A passenger survived while all 15 other occupants were killed. The plane was piloted by Col James P. Lyle Jr., commander of the 551st Airborne Early Warning and Control Wing based at Otis. The survivor was the navigator, Lt Joseph H. Guenet from Montreal, Quebec.

The crew was completing a supply mission to Bảo Lộc Airstrip. After touchdown, the crew encountered technical problems with the braking systems and the captain decided to attempt a go-around manoeuvre and increased engine power. Shortly after liftoff, while passing over the runway end, the airplane struck a small hill, stalled and crashed in flames into a ravine. Three crew members were killed while three others were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed following several explosion caused by a stock of ammunition on board.
Those killed were:
S/Sgt David Glover,
S/Sgt Donald Kannel,
A1C David Chaney.

On touchdown at Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport, the nose gear collapsed. The airplane slid on runway for several yards before coming to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

While taxiing to the runway for takeoff the crew completed the Before Takeoff Checklist. The copilot inadvertently missed the item referring to the automatic Spoiler Select Switch. The switch should have been in the "Rejected Takeoff" (RTO) position, but was in the "Autoland" position when the airplane departed. Unnoticed by the crew, between 34-60 Knots, the spoilers automatically deployed to the ground position. The crew noticed a reduced acceleration rate, but elected to continue the takeoff. The aircraft became airborne, accelerated poorly and began a shallow descent. It crashed into the sea just off the end of the runway. Six crew members were killed while two others were rescued.
Those killed were:
Maj Harry Milton Brenn,
Cpt Morris Bowdoin Witt,
SMS Roy Earl Shults,
M/Sgt Herman Eugene Miller,
T/Sgt Marshall Edward Brown,
T/Sgt Harold Eugene Mahy.

While on a gunship support missions to outposts, the Spooky was shot down by enemy fire and crashed in a dense wooded area, killing all seven crew members.
Crew:
Cpt William Hadley Hosea,
Cpt Herbert Charles Rice,
Cpt John Bishop Cabana,
S/Sgt John Larue Brim,
S/Sgt James Lewis Fields,
T/Sgt Guy Joseph Brungard,
A1C Robert Edwin Ruonavaara.

Shortly after takeoff from Bien Hòa Airport, while in initial climb, the airplane was hit by enemy fire, forcing the crew to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed near the airport and while all seven crew members were rescued, the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

Some of the bases in South Vietnam were among the world's busiest airfields during the height of the war in Southeast Asia. The number of aircraft movements at bases like Đà Nẵng and Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport equalled or exceeded those at major US and European airports. With the huge amount of activity involved it is inevitable that accidents should sometimes occur on the ground. The worst such accident happened in the early hours of 23 March and involved a Marine Corps A-6, which was taking off from Đà Nẵng on a strike mission, and a MAC C-141 Starlifter. The air traffic controller had cleared the Intruder to take off but also unwittingly cleared the C-141 to cross the runway. The Intruder pilot saw the Starlifter at the last moment and tried to veer off the runway to avoid it but the Intruder's port wing sliced through the Starlifter's nose. The Intruder sumersalted onto its back and continued down the runway. The pilot and navigator miraculously escaped death and crawled through their smashed canopy. The aircraft was carrying 16x500lbs bombs and six rocket packs, some of which later exploded in the fire. The C-141 immediately burst into flames igniting its cargo of 72 acetylene gas cylinders, which resulted in a tremendous explosion. All the Starlifter crew died except the loadmaster who managed to escape from one of the aft doors before the aircraft exploded. The identity of the crewmen who survived remains unknown.
Crew:
Cpt Harold Leland Hale,
Cpt Leroy Edward Leonard,
Cpt Max Paul Starkel,
S/Sgt Alanson Garland Bynum,
S/Sgt Alfred Funck.
Source: Chris Hobson

Just after liftoff from An Khe Airstrip, while climbing, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. All five crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed by fire. It was reported that the crew's vision was obscured by dust crated by the rotor of a Chinook.

Suffered a ground accident at Tachikawa Airbase. No casualties.