1966 – Nov 26, USAF C-47D loses left engine power, crashes near Saigon Vietnam–all 25-27

–27 Pacific Stars…Stripes, Tokyo. “Rescue Teams…27 Victims…C-47 Crash…Tan Son Nhut…” 11-29-1966, 1.
–27 UPI. “All 27 Aboard Killed as US C47 Falls in Vietnam Swamp.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 11-27-1966, 1.
–26 Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF C-47D crash 11-26-1966.
–25 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 92.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“….
“First flight: 1945
….
Total [fatalities]: Fatalities: 26 / Occupants: 26
….
“Narrative:

“The Douglas C-47D transport plane departed from Tan Son Nhut Air Base near Saigon on a night time administrative flight back to Korat RTAFB in Thailand.

“Shortly after takeoff the aircrew advised Tan Son Nhut they had an engine problem and were returning to that airfield. Their first approach was aborted when the landing gear would not extend. During the second approach the airplane impacted a rice paddy while on short final to the runway. The no. 2 engine’s propeller was in the feathered position.”

Gero:
“Date: 26 November 1966 (c.19:20)
“Location: Near Saigon, South Vietnam
“Operator: US Air Force
“Aircraft type: Douglas C-47D (44-76574)

“The twin-engine transport crashed and burst into flames in a rice paddy, killing all 25 persons aboard. Except for one American civilian, the victims were all US servicemen, including the crew of six. Due to a malfunction in the left power plant, the aircraft was returning to Tan Son Nhut Airport, from where it had taken off shortly before, ultimately bound for Korat Air Base in Thailand.

“The first approach to Runway 07, ended in a go-around maneuver because the undercarriage could not be extended. The crash occurred as the C-47 was proceeding on a north-easterly heading with its left propeller feathered, the pilot having radioed his intention to circle back and land on the same runway. It was dark at the time, but the meteorological conditions in the area were good, with a broken overcast and a visibility of around 10 miles (15km). No information was released pertaining to the cause of the engine trouble or the crash itself.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 92.)

Newspaper

Nov 27: “Saigon (UPI) – All 27 Americans aboard were killed yesterday when a U.S. C47 transport plane with one dead engine crashed and burned in a swamp while trying to make an emergency touchdown at Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut air base. It was one of the war’s worst air crashes. All but one of the passengers were U.S. military personnel. The other was a government employee.

“The crash, a mile north of the air base, brought to 31 the death toll in U.S. transport plane crashes in South Vietnam this week….

“The two-engined Air Force transport had taken off from Tan Son Nhut air base and had been airborne just a few minutes when disaster struck….” (UPI. “All 27 Aboard Killed as U.S. C47 Falls in Vietnam Swamp.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 11-27-1966, p.1.

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF C-47D crash 11-26-1966. Accessed 4-27-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19661126-3

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo. “Rescue Teams carry the Body of One of the 27 Victims of C-47 Crash Near Tan Son Nhut AB.” (Photo caption) 11-29-1966, p.1. Accessed 4-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/pacific-stars-and-stripes-nov-29-1966-p-1/

UPI (United Press International). “All 27 Aboard Killed as U.S. C47 Falls in Vietnam Swamp.” Arizona Republic, Phoenix, 11-27-1966, p.1. Accessed 4-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/phoenix-arizona-republic-nov-27-1966-p-1/