Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in Tuy Hòa

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0506
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3114
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Due to a failure in the propeller pitch mechanism one of the engines' propellers could not be used to decelerate. The airplane swerved off the runway into a ditch, in an attempt to avoid a truck at the end of the runway. Damage was repairable, but the Hercules was damaged beyond repair when recovery crew attempted to tow the airplane using a tank and a steel cable through openings in the fuselage.
Source: Chris Hobson

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules near Bardufoss: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 20, 1966 at 0130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-2641
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Évreux - Bardufoss
MSN:
3677
YOM:
1962
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The C-130B, assigned to the 813th Tactical Carrier Wing at Forbes AFB, flew from Évreux AFB (Eure, France) to Bardufoss to pick up troops who would participate in the NATO exercise Winter Express. In snowy weather around freezing temperature with poor visibility the Hercules crashed into Svanfjellet west of Bardufoss at night at a height of 2,650 feet on the island of Senja while approaching Bardufoss Air Station. The crash killed the entire crew, five officers and two enlisted men.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
According to the Accident Investigation Board, the ATC cleared the crew to descend to 6,000 feet when the crew of the plane repeated an incorrect height clearance. The radar controller at Bardufoss did not perceive the misunderstanding.

Crash of a Grumman HU-16B Albatross off Hải Phòng: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
51-071
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
G-151
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The HU-16B Albatross flying boat was deployed to rescue two crew members of a downed McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom off Haiphong in the Gulf of Tonkin. The Albatross landed in the sea close to the shoreline. It was quickly approached by several North Vietnamese boats. They began to open fire on the Albatross, finally firing a mortar shell. They flying boat burst into flames. The survivors were later rescued by Navy helicopters.
Crew:
Cpt David P. Westenbarger,
Lt Walter Hall,
Cpt Donald Price,
S/Sgt Clyde Jackson,
A1C Robert Larie Hilton, †
A1C James Edward Pleiman. †
Source: Chris Hobson & Joe Baugher.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D Spooky near A Rơh: 7 killed

Date & Time: Mar 13, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
43-49268
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
15084/26529
YOM:
1944
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew departed Đà Nẵng on a reconnaissance mission. Contact was lost few minutes after takeoff but it is believed the airplane was shot down by enemy fire and probably crashed in an isolated area located in the region of A Rơh, near the Laotian border, about 80 km southwest of Đà Nẵng. No trace of the aircraft nor the crew was ever found.
Crew:
Cpt Howard William Henninger,
Cpt Robert Edward Pasekoff,
Cpt Gerald Everett Olson,
S/Sgt Marshall Irvin Pauley,
S/Sgt Gene Edmond Davis,
T/Sgt Edwin Everton Morgan,
Sgt Dean Arnold Duvall.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft has been shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D in the Shau Valley: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1966 at 1300 LT
Operator:
Registration:
44-76290
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
15874/32622
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
Spooky 70
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Đà Nẵng Airport on a supply mission to the A Shau Special Forces Camp. While flying at low height, the aircraft was hit by enemy fire. The right engine was on fire and later detached. The pilot-in-command elected to make an emergency landing in the valley. Three crew members were able to evacuate the area while three others were killed by enemy soldiers.
Crew:
Cpt Willard Marioins Collins, †
1st Lt Delbert Ray Peterson, †
1st Lt J. L. Meek,
S/Sgt J. G. Brown,
S/Sgt Robert Eugene Foster, †
S/Sgt J. Turner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II on Mt Mulhacén: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1966
Operator:
Registration:
52-0980
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Morón – Murcia-San Javier
MSN:
43889
YOM:
1952
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
On a flight from Morón AFB to Murcia-San Javier AFB, while in cruising altitude, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of Mt Mulhacén (3,478 meters high) located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-13-FA Provider near Khe Sanh: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-4537
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
20198
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances in an jungle located about 16 km from Khe Sanh, near the Laos border, while on a supply mission. An extensive SAR mission was conducted for several days but no trace of the aircraft nor the four crew members was ever found.
Crew:
Maj James Louis Carter,
Cpt Wilbur Ronald Brown,
A1C Edward Milton Parsley,
A1C Therman Morris Waller.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in An Khe: 46 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1966 at 1015 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
54-0702
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
An Khe – Bong Son
MSN:
20151
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
42
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed An Khe on a mission to Bong Son, carrying a crew of four and 42 troops of the 1st Air Cavalry Division who were being taken to Bong Son to take part in Operation Masher, the first division-size search and destroy mission of the war. After takeoff, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height and 10 minutes later, while in clouds, the right wing struck trees. On impact, the right engine and six meters of the right wing were torn off. Out of control the airplane crashed in a wooded area located 10 km from An Khe, killing all 46 occupants.
Crew:
Cpt Harry Richard Crumley,
Cpt Edward Clarence Handly,
S/Sgt Leonard Williams,
S/Sgt Richard Duane Youtsey.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the right engine failed during initial climb, probably after a concentration of magnesium ignited, causing huge damages to the nacelle and the carburetor. It was reported that the crew encountered technical issues with the right engine that failed twice prior to departure. Contributing factors were poor maintenance and poor weather conditions with low clouds down to 300 feet with a limited visibility. The crew was forced to initiate the flight under VFR mode which was not appropriate in such weather conditions.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-115-BW Stratofortress in Palomares: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1966 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0256
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
464324
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
TEA16
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Collided in midair with a USAF KC-135 registered 61-0273 while performing a refueling mission during 'Operation Chrome Dome'. Crashed near Palomares, killing four of the seven crew members. Four nuclear weapons fell from the wreckage, one of them was 2 1/2 months later into the Mediterranean Sea.
Crew:
Cpt Charles Charlie Wendorf, pilot,
Maj Larry Messinger, pilot,
Michael Rooney, copilot,
Cpt Ivan Buchanan, radar navigator,
1st Lt George J. Glesner, †
1st Lt Steven G. Montanus, †
T/Sgt Ronald P. Snyder. †

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker in Palomares: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 17, 1966 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0273
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Morón - Morón
MSN:
18180
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Aircraft flight hours:
1947
Circumstances:
Collided in midair with a USAF Boeing B-52 registered 58-0256 while performing a refueling mission during 'Operation Chrome Dome'. Crashed near Palomares, killing all four crew members.