Crash of a Boeing B-52D-10-BW Stratofortress into the Gulf of Tonkin

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0056
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
464008
YOM:
1955
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While flying over Vinh in North Vietnam, the airplane was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The captain decided to evacuate the target area but with two engines out of service, electric and hydraulic systems out, he ordered the crew to abandon the aircraft and to bail out. The airplane crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin and all six crew members, wounded, were evacuated by the crew of a USAF HH-53 helicopter and USMC CH-46 helicopter.
Crew:
Lt Col Gerald Wickline, pilot,
Cpt William "Bill" F. Milcarek, copilot,
Cpt Myles McTernan, navigator,
Maj Roger A. Klingbeil, radio navigator,
Cpt William E. Fergason, EWO,
T/Sgt Carlos S. Killgore, air gunner.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Grumman C-2A Greyhound into the Gulf of Tonkin: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
155120
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
USS Ranger - USS Ranger
MSN:
15
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Just after being catapulted from the USS Ranger (CVA-61), the airplane stalled and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, some 130 km northeast of Đà Nẵng. The aircraft was lost and all nine occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Meril Olen McCoy,
Lt(jg) Anthony J. Piersanti,
P03 Clyde Chilton Owen,
AMS3 John Frank Szlapa.
Probable cause:
It is believed the loss of control may have been caused by the cargo that shifted at liftoff.

Crash of a Grumman E-2A Hawkeye into the Gulf of Tonkin: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 8, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
151711
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
A031
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
While completing a maritime patrol flight and while cruising 112 km off Đồng Hới, the crew informed ground about fire in the cockpit and elected to return to USS Coral Sea. Shortly later, the airplane crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin. All five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt(jg) Charles Brooks Pfaffmann,
Lt Larry Coleman Knight,
SN Brian Lee Bushnell,
SN Andrew Anthony Horchar,
AMEC Jack Lee Wright.

Crash of a Grumman C-2A-05-GR Greyhound into the Gulf of Tonkin: 26 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1969 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
152796
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Subi Point - USS Constellation
MSN:
13
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
21
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
The Greyhound was completing a troop transfer from Subi Point, Philippines, to the USS Constellation aircraft carrier. While approaching the navy ship, the airplane went out of control, dove into the sea and disintegrated on impact. Quickly on the scene, about 15 km from the ship, rescuers found some debris floating on water and an oil slick. None of the 26 occupants survived the crash.
Crew:
Lt Herbert Hugh Dilger,
Lt Richard Allen Livingstone,
P03 Paul Kierstead Moser,
P03 Michael James Tye,
P03 Rayford Jerome Hill.
Probable cause:
Due to lack of evidences, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the loss of control may have been caused by an engine failure. During investigations, structural problems were reported on the engine nacelles. The CofA of the Greyhound was suspended during the investigations.

Crash of a Grumman US-2C Tracker into the Gulf of Tonkin

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
133371
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
USS Hornet - USS Hornet
MSN:
238
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Tracker was lost while on a logistics flight to the USS Hornet in the Gulf of Tonkin. The aircraft suffered a loss of oil pressure in the starboard engine and the propeller had to be feathered but the aircraft could not maintain altitude and had to be ditched. All four crew members were picked up safely.
Source: Chris Hobson
Probable cause:
Loss of oil pressure on right engine in flight.

Crash of a Grumman S2F-3 Tracker into the Gulf of Tonkin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
149252
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
93
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On the night of 21/22 January 1966, the Tracker was launched from USS Hornet to provide surveillance cover for the SAR destroyers that operated close to the North Vietnamese coastline and which were occasionally challenged by enemy patrol boats and small craft. Under the control of a guided missile destroyer, the USS Berkeley, the Tracker was investigating an unidentified radar screen. Within a few hours of the aircraft's disappearance Hanoi Radio reported that a US aircraft had been shot down in the Gulf of Tonkin to the south of Bach Long Vi Island. The time was good at the time of the loss and the sea was very calm, which might have made depth perception difficult for the crew. An extensive search was conducted in the Gulf for days, afterwards and on 1 February a four-man liferaft from the Tracker was picked up some 150 miles from the aircraft's last known position. On 14 March Lt Templin's flying helmet was found in the same area as the raft. However, no trace of the crew was ever found and they were all declared dead in 1975.
Crew:
Lt William Stannard Forman,
Lt Erwin Bernard Templin,
SN Edmund Henry Frenyea,
SA Robert Russell Sennett.
Source: Chris Hobson

Crash of a Dewoitine D.338 into the Gulf of Tonkin: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 7, 1940
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-AQBA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
01
YOM:
1937
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While on a flight from France to southeast Asia, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. It went out of control and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, killing all four crew members.
Crew:
Alfred Lacaze, pilot,
Jean Assolant, copilot,
Francis Pechard, radio navigator,
Pierre Valepyn, engineer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a Japanese fighter.