United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947)

On 7 September, 1966, 65-0281 was the first C-141 destroyed. It blew up while simultaneous hazardous maintenance procedures were being performed. Three maintenance members were killed in an explosion of the Right Extended Range tank. The Wing at McChord had recently converted to the StarLifter. The first aircraft had arrived on 9 August 1966. This aircraft, 65-0281, was the third C-141 to be stationed at McChord, and had arrived on base just a week before, on 29 August, 1966. The maintenance teams had minimal practical experience with the new airplane. It was having multiple maintenance difficulties. The Right Extended Range Tank feel gage was erratic, and the AC "Power On" Light was inop. Two electricians were in the cockpit working on the "Power On" Light. A Maintenance Team Chief was also in the cockpit with three trainees. In addition, he was supervising a maintenance team on another aircraft. The Assistant Team Chief had started de-fueling the Right Extended Range Tank to prepare it for troubleshooting. The other fuel tanks were full. Two additional technicians arrived to work on the fuel gage before the de-fueling was complete. One of the electrical technicians connected testing equipment to the fuel tank but failed to ground it. The other technician plugged an extension cord into the external 115V AC receptacle of the APU. The live extension cord apparently came in contact with the case of the test equipment. Electricity flowed through the case, up the cables into the tank. Due to a short in the coaxial shielding a spark was created within the nearly empty tank. The right wing exploded. The Assistant Team Chief standing under the wing, and the technician on the wing were killed almost immediately. One of the technicians in the cockpit was badly burned while exiting the right troop door into a burning pool of JP-4. He died a few days later. The others on the aircraft received only minor injuries.
Source:
http://www.c141heaven.info/dotcom/65/pic_65_0281.php

The crew was completing a supply mission between Vietnam and Taiwan. While cruising in poor weather conditions, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 16 km southeast of Chai, in the center of Taiwan. All eight occupants were killed, among them three passengers.
Crew:
Cpt William Shinn,
1st Lt John Bechacek,
1st Lt David Scovill,
A1C Wilbur Adkisson,
A1C Lucious Lunnie.

The aircraft was set off for a surveillance mission around the Pathet Lao stronghold of Sam Neua. During the mission the aircraft flew close to (and may even have crossed) the border into North Vietnam. MiGs had occasionally been seen operating close to the Laotian border but it was thought that they posed little threat to aircraft operating in the Sam Neua area. However, a MiG-17 made a high speed dash to the border and shot down the RC-47D before making off deep into North Vietnam. All eight crew members were killed:
Crew:
Cpt Bernard Conklin,
Cpt Robert Eugene Hoskinson,
1st Lt Vincent Augustus Chiarello,
1st Lt Robert Joseph Di Tommaso,
Maj Galileo Fred Bossio,
T/Sgt John Micheo Mamiya,
T/Sgt Herbert Eugene Smith,
S/Sgt James Shreve Hall.
Source: Chris Hobson.

The crew was returning to Nakhon Phanom Airport following a strike over Laos. On final approach, both engines failed simultaneously. The airplane stalled and crashed few km short of runway threshold. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Maj George G. Duke,
Cpt Miles T. Tanimoto.

Shortly after takeoff from Jacksonville-Towers Field NAS, while climbing, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the left engine that caught fire. Smoke spread in the cockpit and the cabin so all 34 occupants bailed out and parachuted to safety. The airplane dove into the ground and crashed near the airbase.

The aircraft was engaged in a supply mission from Elmendorf AFB to Cape Lisburne with an intermediate stop in Nome, carrying supply for the local weather station. On approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and winds gusting up to 28 knots. Control was lost and the airplane crashed into the Chukchi Sea, about 150 feet offshore. All nine occupants were killed, among them two civilians.

Crashed in unknown circumstances near Quy Nhơn Airport. All four crew members survived while the aircraft was destroyed.

While cruising at low height, the airplane was struck by enemy fire. The pilot was able to complete an emergency landing in a rice paddy field and all three crew members evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

The four engine aircraft was on its way from Cam Ranh Bay to Kadena AFB, Okinawa, carrying a crew of eight. While cruising along the Vietnam shore, about 72 km northeast of Nha Trang, the airplane suffered an in-flight explosion and crashed into the sea off Phú Hiệp. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Cdr Ralph Burton Cobbs,
Lt Donald Edwin Siegwarth,
Lt Clement Olin Stevenson,
Lt Edward Leon Romig,
AN M. J. Savoy,
YN2 Jack Ishum Dempsey,
ADJ2 Curtis David Collette,
ADR2 Stanley Jon Freng.

While operating a reconnaissance mission out from Ubon over the Khammouane Province of Laos, the airplane was seen to crash in flames near Ban Phakat. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Harding Eugene Smith,
Cpt Theodore Eugene Kryszak,
1st Lt Russell Dean Martin,
T/Sgt Harold Eugene Mullins,
T/Sgt Luther Lee Rose,
S/Sgt Ervin Warren.