1968 – Oct 21, USAF transport plane engine loss/crash ~Ban Me Thuot S. Vietnam–all 23

–21 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 99.
–21 HonorStates.org. “Howard Elmer Van Vliet.” Accessed 4-7-2022.

Narrative Information

Gero:
“Date: 21 October 1968 (c06:00)
“Location: Near Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam
“Operator: US Air Force
“Aircraft type: Douglas C-47D (45-0934)

“All 23 persons aboard were killed in the crash of the twin-engine transport, which occurred in mountainous terrain 110 miles (175km) north-east of Saigon. Except for two civilian passengers, both Americans, the victims were all US military personnel, including the crew. Having taken off earlier from Saigon, the aircraft was to have stopped for refueling at Da Nang, also in South Vietnam, during a flight with an ultimate destination of Hong Kong. It was last reported at its assigned cruising altitude of 9,000ft (2,700m) before transmitting a ‘Mayday’ distress message, the pilot reporting the failure of its No. 2 power plant and that the corresponding propeller could not be feathered. Also stating that he could not maintain altitude, the pilot requested vectors to Ban Me Thuot airfield that would provide adequate terrain clearance. Radio and radar contact with 45-0934 was subsequently lost, the C-47 having crashed about 20 miles (30km) south of the airfield, at an approximate elevation of 2,300ft (700m) and scattered stratus down to 1,000ft (300m). The visibility in the area was around 5 miles (10km). No further details pertaining to the cause of the initial engine malfunction nor the subsequent accident were released.” (Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 99-100.)

HonorStates.org: “On October 21, 1968…[a] C-47 #45-0934 from the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing out of Tan Son Nhut AB…crashed 20 miles south of Ban Me Thuot en route to Danang AB, with final destination an R and R to Hong Kong. Apparently, While flying near Ban Me Thuot, the number two engine failed. The crew were not able to feather the prop and attempted to reach Ban Me Thuot. The airplane struck terrain in poor weather, killing the crew and passengers.

“We identified 21 casualties in our archive that might be related to the #45-0934 incident on October 21, 1968.

◼William P Bowman
◼Arthur L Brewer
◼Donald W Bruck
◼Gerald E Burgener :: Navigator
◼Basil L Ciriello :: Navigator
◼Ray E Codding :: Pilot
◼Eugene W Hendricks :: Air Traffic
◼Karl E Kelley Jr
◼Bernard F Kissell Jr
◼Bruce M Miley :: Light Weapons Infantry
◼Billy R Morris :: Flight Mechanic
◼Russell E Nihill Jr
◼Alden W O’Brien :: Pilot
◼Ruben E Reyes
◼Robert B Richardson :: Pilot
◼Council L Royal :: Pilot
◼Klaus D Ruhland :: Infantry Indirect
◼Gayland O Scott :: Pilot
◼John D Thomas :: Flight Engineer
◼Howard E Van Vliet :: Pilot
◼Gerald D Ziehe :: Pilot

Sources

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

HonorStates.org. “Howard Elmer Van Vliet.” Accessed 4-7-2022 at: https://www.honorstates.org/index.php?id=303033