Crash of a Yakovlev Yak-40 in Sơn Trung: 30 killed

Date & Time: Nov 14, 1992 at 0712 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VN-A449
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Saigon - Nha Trang
MSN:
9 63 18 48
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
VN474
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
25
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
30
Aircraft flight hours:
4668
Aircraft flight cycles:
3686
Circumstances:
While descending to Nha Trang Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to heavy rain falls. On approach, the aircraft deviated from the W13 airway by six km when it struck trees, lost height and crashed on the slope of a mountain located 350 metres, about 33 km southwest of Nha Trang. The wreckage was found eight days later at an altitude of 970 metres. A passenger was seriously injured while 30 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor due to the presence of typhoon 'Forest' approaching the area.
Probable cause:
Following negligences and wrong interpretation of instrument settings, the aircraft deviated from the prescribed W13 airway by 6 km until it impacted the ground.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134AK-1 in Ho Chi Minh-City

Date & Time: Jan 12, 1991
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VN-A126
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bangkok - Ho Chi Minh-City
MSN:
60435
YOM:
1978
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
72
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the last segment on approach to Ho Chi Minh-Ville-Tan Son Nhat Airport, at a height of about 30 feet, the aircraft lost height, causing the left main gear to struck the ground short of runway threshold. The aircraft then landed hard and came to a halt on the main runway. All 79 occupants were evacuated, among them five passengers were injured.
Probable cause:
It is believed the aircraft lost height on short final due to an insufficient speed.
The following contributing factors were reported:
- Poor planned approach on part of the crew.
- Poor crew coordination.
- Lack of supervision and crew cross checks.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP in Cam Ranh Bay: 31 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 1989
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-11875
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cam Ranh Bay - Ho Chi Minh-City
MSN:
7 3 450 06
YOM:
1967
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
28
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
31
Circumstances:
On approach to Ho Chi Minh-City Airport, the crew encountered below minima weather conditions but the captain decided to continue. On short final, as the aircraft deviated from the approach path, the right main gear struck the ground 114 meters short of runway and was torn off. The right outer wing was damaged as well as the propeller n°4 and both hydraulics systems. The crew decided to return to Cam Ranh Bay Airport. Upon landing, the crew feathered the propeller n°1 and after touchdown, the aircraft veered off runway to the left, hit obstacles and came to rest, bursting into flames. Three occupants were seriously injured while 31 others were killed.

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134A in Hanoi

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1988
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VN-A108
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
63 48430
YOM:
1976
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed upon landing at Hanoi-Nội Bài Airport. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of an Ilyushin II-18D in Hòa Bình

Date & Time: Mar 26, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VN-B190
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1880 107 03
YOM:
1968
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
2815
Aircraft flight cycles:
1772
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Ground explosion of a Sud-Aviation SE-210 Caravelle III in Ho Chi Minh: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
F-BSGZ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Ho Chi Minh – Bangkok
MSN:
83
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
While parked at Ho Chi Minh-City Airport, the airplane was hijacked by a Vietnamese passenger. All 19 occupants were quickly released and when police forces approached the aircraft, the hijacker set off two grenades that exploded in the cabin. The hijacker was killed and the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Explosion of two grenades in the cabin after the aircraft has been hijacked.

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

Date & Time: Apr 6, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0002
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
3029
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Biên Hòa Airport, the four engine airplane was unable to stop within the remain distance, overran and came to rest in flames. There were no casualties while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in Saigon: 155 killed

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1975 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
68-0218
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Saigon - Clark - Los Angeles
MSN:
500-0021
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
16
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
314
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
155
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a humanitarian flight, taking part to the 'Operation Babylift', a mission consisting to bring Vietnamese orphans back to the US in the few remaining days before the Republic of Vietnam fell. At 1603LT, the airplane departed Saigon-Tan Son Nhat Airport bound to the east. Twelve minutes later, while cruising at an altitude of 23,000 feet over the South China Sea, a technical issue occurred on the rear access ramp doors followed by a rapid decompression of the cabin. A crew member fell out of the airplane and shortly later, the access ramp door detached and fell into sea as well. The captain contacted ATC, declared an emergency and was cleared to return to Saigon Airport. At that time, two of the four hydraulic systems were out of order and control and trim cables to the rudder and elevators were severed, leaving only one aileron and wing spoilers operating. Nevertheless, the crew was able to descend to runway 25L when the rate of descent increased to 4,000 feet per minute. The airplane struck the ground a first time at a speed of 250 knots about 4 km short of runway 25L, bounced for three seconds and then crashed 500 meters further in a rice paddy field. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and debris scattered on a wide area. There were on board 149 orphans, 10 members of a medical team, 155 military personnels and 16 crew members. It was reported that 141 orphans were killed as well as six soldiers, five crew members and three of the medical team. The United States Navy amphibious cargo ship USS Durham, frigate USS Reasoner and command ship USS Blue Ridge were assigned to search for the flight data recorder in the South China Sea. The recorder was found and US Navy ships and helicopters also discovered debris from the doors in the South China Sea as well as the body of a crew member.
Probable cause:
When the rear doors were eventually recovered from the sea, investigation determined that some of the locks had not engaged properly. Maintenance records showed that locks had been cannibalized for spares, then subsequently improperly refitted so that not all the door locks were engaging correctly. Accounts also indicated the initial maintenance inspection noticed 5 of the 7 locks were not operating and failed the aircraft for flight. With external organizational pressure to get the flight airborne, a second off-shift maintenance team was called in. They subsequently missed the locks during inspection and the aircraft was cleared for flight. Furthermore, the flight crew confirmed that they had encountered difficulty closing the doors before takeoff. As the air pressure differential increased with altitude, the few locks that were working correctly were unable to bear the load, and the door failed.

Crash of a Douglas C-54D-5-DC Skymaster near Pleiku: 26 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1975 at 1830 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV-NUJ
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vientiane - Saigon
MSN:
10701
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
20
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
26
Circumstances:
While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet en route from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew informed ATC about his position over PE5 on the G67 airway when contact was lost. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located about 25 km southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants have been killed, among them a Swiss citizen in charge of the medical missions of the Red Cross in Vietnam.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the aircraft has been shot down by a surface-to-air missile.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider near Nha Trang: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 3, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ST-1
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Đà Lạt – Nha Trang
MSN:
20074
YOM:
1954
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
While approaching Nha Trang Airport on a cargo flight from Đà Lạt, the airplane was shot down by a SA-7 surface-to-air missile and crashed 9 km southwest of Nha Trang. The wreckage was found four days later and all nine occupants have been killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by a surface-to-air SA-7 missile.