Crash of a Lockheed OP-2E Neptune near Ban Karai Pass: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 27, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131484
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nakhon Phanom - Nakhon Phanom
MSN:
426-5365
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nakhon Phanom Airport on a supply mission consisting of sensors dropping. While flying at low height, the airplane was struck by enemy fire. Seven occupants bailed out before the aircraft crashed in flames in a dense wooded area. Both pilots were killed while seven other occupants were evacuated five hours later.
Those killed were:
Cdr Paul Lloyd Milius,
P02 John Francis Hartzheim.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3 near Ban Napa: 37 killed

Date & Time: Feb 24, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XW-TAD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Luang Namtha – Sayaboury – Vientiane
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
34
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
37
Circumstances:
The airplane was completing a flight from Luang Namtha to Vientiane with an intermediate stop in Sayaboury. On the first leg, the airplane went out of control and crashed on the slope of a mountain located in the region of Ban Napa. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 37 occupants were killed, among them several tourists and two French citizens.
Probable cause:
It is believed the loss of control was the consequence of an engine failure.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560 near Park City

Date & Time: Feb 23, 1968 at 1430 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N2784B
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
MSN:
560-284
YOM:
1956
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2385
Captain / Total hours on type:
86.00
Circumstances:
While performing a cargo flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions. The captain decided to make a 180 turn to gain height when the twin engine aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Park City. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and both occupants were seriously injured.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the crew continued under VFR mode into adverse weather conditions. At the time of the accident, the visibility was reduced due to fog, rain and snow.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Ocaña: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 22, 1968 at 0850 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-559
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
1554
YOM:
1964
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Curumaní at 0649LT on a taxi flight to Cucutá. Two hours later, the pilot declared an emergency when the airplane crashed in the region of Ocaña. All five occupants were killed. The registration is not confirmed.

Crash of a Lockheed OP-2E Neptune near Muang Phine: 9 killed

Date & Time: Feb 17, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131486
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Nakhon Phanom - Nakhon Phanom
MSN:
426-5367
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nakhon Phanom Airport and was supposed to deliver sensors near Ban Namm, some 48 km west of the DMZ. While cruising at low height, the airplane was hit by small arms fire and the crew reported the explosion of the right engine. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed in the jungle. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cdr Glenn Miller Hayden,
Lt Curtis Frank Thurman,
Lt(jg) James Stephen Kravitz,
Ens James Charles Wonn,
ATN1 Paul Nicholas Donato,
A02 Clayborn Willis Ashby,
ADJ2 Chester Leroy Coons,
AN Frank Arthur Dawson,
AN James Edward Martin.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Douglas AC-47D Spooky near Phan Rang: 8 killed

Date & Time: Feb 15, 1968
Operator:
Registration:
43-49859
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
15675/27120
YOM:
1945
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While conducting a night supply mission, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and crashed in flames 8 km south of Phan Rang Airbase. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Col Karl Merritt Waldron,
Cpt Edward Beeding Quill,
Cpt Thomas Joseph Margle,
S/Sgt Warren Mitchell Dixon,
S/Sgt Robert Kiyoshi Kawamura,
S/Sgt Roger Gail Lee,
Sgt James Harvey Bennett,
Sgt Brent Tosh.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2 near Ayaguz

Date & Time: Feb 12, 1968 at 1427 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
CCCP-28946
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Urdzhar – Ayaguz – Semipalatinsk
MSN:
1G09-06
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
4093
Aircraft flight cycles:
8820
Circumstances:
On the leg from Urdzhar to Ayaguz of a flight from Urdzhar to Semipalatinsk, the crew encountered below-minima weather conditions (snowfall and poor visibility). The crew failed to return in time and lost orientation so the aircraft crashed at a height of 1,850 metres into the slope of Mt Tikasu (2,151 metres high) located some 30 km from Nekrasovka and caught fire. Both pilots and all 4 passengers were injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The captain left the accident site on 13FEB1968 and reached Nekrasovka after walking through deep snow in mountainous terrain for 18 hours. All other five occupants were rescued and evacuated by the crew of a Mil Mi-4 on 14FEB1968.
Probable cause:
The crew decided to continue in adverse weather conditions and below-minima.

Crash of a Consolidated C-10A Catalina near Guajará-Mirim: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1968 at 1717 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
6521
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Forte Principe da Beira – Guajará-Mirim
MSN:
1784
YOM:
1944
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The seaplane was completing a flight from Forte Principe da Beira to Guajará-Mirim within Rondônia State on behalf of the Correio Nacional. While approaching Guajará-Mirim, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a jungle located 40 km from its intended destination. The wreckage was found two days later and 19 people were evacuated to local hospital while four others were killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
Engine problems in flight.

Crash of a Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan in Assis: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
1553
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Assis - Assis
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Assis Airport for a local test flight. En route, the crew encountered an unexpected situation. The aircraft caught fire, went out of control and crashed onto a building. Both pilots were killed while there were no injuries on the ground.

Crash of an Antonov AN-12BP near Rohtang Pass: 102 killed

Date & Time: Feb 7, 1968 at 1500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
BL534
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Chandigarh - Leh
MSN:
02 4 003
YOM:
1961
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
98
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
102
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Chandigarh on a flight to Leh, carrying 98 passengers, soldiers and family members. While descending to Leh, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snowstorm and the captain made a 180 turn to return to Chandigarh as a landing at Leh Airport was impossible. Few minutes later, while cruising in zero visibility at an altitude of 22,000 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a snow covered mountain located near the Rohtang Pass, Himachal Pradesh. As the airplane failed to return to Chandigarh, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few weeks later as no trace of the aircraft no the 102 occupants was found. Some debris were found in August 2003 at an altitude of 5,400 meters in the Dhaka Glacier and three bodies in August 2007.