Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

43-16159

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Phu Cat - Pleiku

MSN:

20625

YOM:

1944

Location:

Country:

Region:

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Circumstances:

The gunship was engaged in an aerial attack from Phu Cat when it was shot down by enemy fire in the region of Pleiku. All seven occupants were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Leslie Earl Harris, †
Maj Teddy James Tomchesson, †
Lt Barry Lynn Brown, †
Cpt Edward Chester Krawczyk, †
S/Sgt James Edgar Bowman, †
Sgt Douglas Joseph Cradeur, †
Sgt Roy Leo Lede. †

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D Spooky near Pleiku: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 5, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-76207

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Phù Cát - Phù Cát

MSN:

15791/32539

YOM:

1945

Location:

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The gunship was engaged in an aerial attack from Phù Cát when it was shot down by enemy fire in the region of Pleiku. Six crew members survived while three others were killed. Those killed were Cpt Donald Lewis Merry, Maj Richard William +1. Wackerfuss.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas VC-47D in Trinidad

Date & Time: Apr 19, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

CP-734

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Trinidad – La Paz

MSN:

17045/34311

YOM:

1945

Location:

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Shortly after takeoff from Trinidad Airport, the crew encountered engine problems and was forced to attempt an emergency landing. The aircraft crash landed in a wooded area, lost its landing gear, slid for several and came to rest with its right wing partially torn off. Several occupants were injured and the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Engine problems after takeoff.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-25-DK in Gia Nghĩa

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

607

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

13537

YOM:

1944

Location:

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After landing at Gia Nghĩa Airstrip, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and came to rest in a ditch. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK in Mueda: 3 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Landing (descent or approach)

Operator:

Registration:

6167

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Tete - Mueda

MSN:

13018

YOM:

1944

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Circumstances:

On approach to Mueda, the airplane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile and crashed in flames few km short of runway. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-35-DL near Tacna: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

PP-AST

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Guayaquil – Arica

MSN:

9659

YOM:

1943

Location:

Tacna

Country:

Peru

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While on a cargo flight from Guayaquil to Arica, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Maldito (3,501 meters high) located in the region of Tacna, Peru. The wreckage was found a month later, on April 16. All four crew members have been killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Douglas EC-47P in Ben Het

Date & Time: Mar 11, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

44-77016

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nha Trang - Nha Trang

MSN:

16600/33348

YOM:

1945

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Circumstances:

The crew was involved in a radio intelligence mission over Laos. While cruising at an altitude of 9,500 feet, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and the left engine caught fire. The crew was able to leave the combat zone and to return to South Vietnam before completing an emergency landing at the special forces camp of Ben Het. The aircraft crash landed and was destroyed while all six crew members escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-85-DL in Statesville

Date & Time: Feb 29, 1968 at 1345 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Millers Aviation

Registration:

N525W

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site: