1967 – June 17, USAF C-130 turboprop aborted take-off crash, An Khe airstrip, So. Vietnam– 35

–35 Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Lockheed C-130B, 6-17-1967.
–35 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 93.
–28 UPI. “USAF Viet Plane Crash Fatal to 28.” The Pampa Daily News, FL. 6-18-1967, p. 1.
[UPI article notes that “reports from the crash scene indicated 35 may have perished.”]

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network:
“Date: Saturday 17 June 1967
“Type: Lockheed C-130B Hercules
“Operator: United States Air Force – USAF
“Registration: 60-0293
“MSN: 3591
‘First flight: 1960
….
“Crew: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
“Passengers: Fatalities: 35 / Occupants: 49
“Total: Fatalities: 35 / Occupants: 56
“Aircraft damage: Destroyed
….
“Location: An Khe (Vietnam)
“Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
“Nature: Military
“Departure airport: An Khe Air Base, Vietnam
“Destination airport: Qui Nhon Airport…Vietnam
“Narrative: When the Hercules transport plane was nearing decision speed on takeoff,
the airplane drifted to the left off the side of the runway. The crew brought
the plane back onto the runway, but it overshot the runway end, sliding
down an embankment. The C-130 burst into flames.”

Gero:
“Date: 17 June 1967 (c.19:30)
“Location: An Khe, South Vietnam
“Operator: US Air Force
“Aircraft type: Lockheed C-130B (60-0293)

“Operating on a scheduled South Vietnamese internal passenger service originating at and ultimately destined for Tan Son Nhut Airport, serving Saigon, the four-engine turboprop transport crashed after an aborted take-off at the An Khe Army airfield, one of seven en-route stops. Among the 56 persons aboard, 35 passengers lost their lives; the victims included US, South Vietnamese and South Korean service personnel and five civilians, one an American. The survivors, 10 of whom suffered injuries, included the seven-man US Air Force crew.

“The aircraft was bound for Qui Nhon, one segment of the flight, when it began its take-off on Runway 21, its elevator control being held back intentionally in order to aerodynamically lighten the load on the nose wheel strut due to the rough surface. Except for extremely hot air entering the cargo compartment of the aircraft, where the air-conditioning system was inoperative, indications were normal during the ground roll until the occurrence of a bright flash of light on the port side, whereupon the C-130 veered to the left and departed the runway at a point approximately 2,400ft (730m) from the point of brake release. Nosewheel steering was effective in returning it to the runway, at which time the crew applied reverse power. Crossing it diagonally, the transport went off the right side of the runway and down a 25ft (7.5m) embankment, coming to rest 400ft (120m) from the end of the hard surface. The impact was not severe, but fire that erupted on the right wing subsequently consumed much of 60-0293. The weather at the time was good and not considered a factor in the accident, which occurred at dusk. No information pertaining to the cause of the crash or the events leading up to it were released by the military authorities.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 93. )

Newspaper

June 18: “An Khe, South Vietnam (UPI) – A U.S. C130 transport plane carrying American servicemen back from vacation to the warfronts of South Vietnam crashed Saturday night at this headquarters base of the U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division, killing 28 of the 49 persons aboard.

“The four-engine plane, carrying 42 passengers and seven crewmen, had flown in from Saigon and Pleiku and taking off for Qui Nhon on a return trip to Saigon when it ran off the runway. It tipped nose forward and exploded in flames when the pilot apparently tried to abort the takeoff.

“The toll was officially placed at 28 dead and 13 injured but reports from the crash scene indicated 35 may have perished.

“Fire trucks and ambulances rushed to the airport at this sprawling military base 230 miles north of Saigon. Victims were taken to base hospitals.

“The C130, a turbo-prop plane, is the workhorse of the Vietnam war from moving me and supplies. There is no long distance rail line and travel along the rivers is unsafe.” (UPI. “USAF Viet Plane Crash Fatal to 28.” The Pampa Daily News, FL. 6-18-1967, p. 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF Lockheed C-130B, 6-17-1967. Accessed 4-20-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670617-0

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

UPI (United Press International). “USAF Viet Plane Crash Fatal to 28.” The Pampa Daily News, FL. 6-18-1967, p. 1. Accessed 4-20-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/pampa-daily-news-jun-18-1967-p-1/