Country
United States of America
Operator Image

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

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1966 at 1300 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
44-76290
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Đà Nẵng - Đà Nẵng
MSN:
15874/32622
YOM:
1945
Flight number:
Spooky 70
Location:
Shau Valley
Thừa Thiên–Huế Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
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
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II
Operator:
Registration:
52-0980
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Morón – Murcia-San Javier
MSN:
43889
YOM:
1952
Location:
Mt Mulhacén
Andalusia
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
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:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
55-4537
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20198
YOM:
1955
Location:
Khe Sanh
Quảng Trị Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
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:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
54-0702
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
An Khe – Bong Son
MSN:
20151
YOM:
1954
Location:
An Khe
Đà Nẵng City District
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
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:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
58-0256
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Refuelling
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
464324
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
TEA16
Location:
Palomares
Andalusia
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
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:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
61-0273
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Refuelling
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Morón - Morón
MSN:
18180
YOM:
1961
Location:
Palomares
Andalusia
Country:
Spain
Region:
Europe
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.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-20-DK on Mt Chelmos: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-93090
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Izmir – Naples
MSN:
12963
YOM:
1944
Location:
Mt Chelmos
Peloponnese / Πελοπόννησος
Country:
Greece
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
8
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a flight from Izmir to Naples, Italy, and while cruising over the Peloponnese province, he failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in the Chelmos Mountain Range, some 50 km southeast of Patras. The wreckage was found two days later and four occupants were seriously injured while six others were killed.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-12-FA Provider near An Khe: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 13, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
55-4519
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
20180
YOM:
1955
Location:
An Khe
Đà Nẵng City District
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On a night supply mission, while cruising at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the airplane collided with a USAF Douglas A-1E Skyraider registered 52-133989 carrying one pilot who was pulling up into the path of the Provider following a VC position attack. Both aircraft went out of control and crashed near An Khe. All seven crew members in both aircraft were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Warren Lester Anderson,
Cpt Herman Hiram Ritchie,
T/Sgt Thomas Anthony Fodaro,
T/Sgt Irwin Lewis Hoffman,
S/Sgt Byron Hugh Crotwell,
S/Sgt Edward Joseph Hincewicz.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the collision could not be determined with certainty. However, it was reported that the Provider was not equipped with suitable instruments for a night mission (insufficient avionics). A poor ground radar coverage was also considered as a contributing factor.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123B-9-FA Provider in Saigon

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-123 Provider
Operator:
Registration:
54-0676
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
20125
YOM:
1954
Location:
Saigon
Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh City District
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew contacted ground and obtained the permission to divert to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat for an emergency landing after an in-flight. After landing, the airplane came to rest in flames and was destroyed while both pilots escaped uninjured. The cause of the fire was probably a sabotage but this was not proven.
Probable cause:
In-flight fire in the cargo compartment for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130B Hercules in An Khe

Date & Time: Jan 9, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Operator:
Registration:
61-0970
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Supply
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Saigon - An Khe
MSN:
3667
YOM:
1962
Location:
An Khe
Đà Nẵng City District
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at An Khe Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. All five crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was written off. The airplane was completing a resupply mission from Saigon.
Subscribe to United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947)