1968 — Oct 3, USAF transport & US Army helicopter collide mid-air ~Camp Evans, S. Vietnam–all 24

–26 Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou at Camp…”
–25 Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, p. 99.
–24 New York Times. “24 Die in Air Crash in South Vietnam. U.S. Copter…” 10-4-1968, p. 13.
–24 UPI. “Viet Plane, Copter Hit; 24 GIs Die.” Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 10-4-1968, 1.

–13 USAF de Havilland Canada C-7B Caribou (DHC-4). Aviation Safety Network.
–11 US Army helicopter. (whpa.org. “Helicopter CH-47A 66-19041)

Narrative Information

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives:
“Date & Time Oct 3, 1968 at 1610 LT
“Type of aircraft: De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
“Operator: USAF
“Registration: 63-9753
“Flight Phase: Takeoff (climb)
“Flight Type: Military
“Survivors: No
“Site: Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
“MSN: 213
“YOM: 1964
“Location: Camp Evans AFB (Hue)…
“Country: Vietnam
….
“Crew on board: 4
….
“Pax on board: 9
….
“Total fatalities: 13
“Circumstances:
“Shortly after takeoff from Camp Evans AFB, while climbing to an altitude of 335 meters, the Caribou collided with a USAF Boeing-Vertol CH-47A Chinook registered 66-19041 that was approaching the same airbase with 6 passengers and five crew members on board. The rear rotor of the Chinook struck the cockpit of the Caribou. Following the collision, the Chinook and the Caribou dove into the ground and crashed few hundred yards from the runway end. All 26 occupants were killed in the accident and up to date, this was considered as the worst aerial collision involving USAF in Vietnam. At the time of the accident, the Caribou speed was about 190 km/h while the Chinook was approaching Camp Evans at a speed of 185 km/h….

“Probable cause:
“It was determined that the collision was the consequence of several violations on part of the Chinook crew who was attempting to land on a helipad located 300 meters to the left of the main runway. The following findings were reported:
– The crew failed to contact ground control at Camp Evans AFB prior to its arrival,
– The crew was not authorized to approach Camp Evans AFB at that time,
– The crew failed to respect the maximum altitude of 180 meters fixed for helicopters in
that area and was approaching at a too high altitude of 335 meters,
– The crew was approaching Camp Evans from a non-assigned approach path for
helicopters.”
(Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou at Camp Evans AFB: 13 killed.”)

Gero:
“Date: 3 October 1968 (c.16:10)
“Location: Near Camp Evans, South Vietnam

“First aircraft
“Operator: US Air Force
“Type: de Havilland C-7A Buffalo (63-9753)

“Second aircraft
“Operator: US Army
“Type: Boeing/Vertol CH-47A (66-19041)

“This mid-air collision between the twin-engine turboprop, fixed-wing transport and the twin-rotor, turbine-engine helicopter, which occurred about 10 miles (15km) north of Hue, claimed the lives of 25 servicemen, all but one of them American. There were no survivors from either aircraft. Carrying 10 passengers and a crew of four and on an internal South Vietnamese flight to Hue, the C-7 had taken off from Runway 36 at Camp Evans airfield, then made a climbing right turn on to a heading of approximately 130 degrees.

“Meanwhile, the CH-47 had been on a heading of around 170 degrees and in a shallow descent as it prepared to land at the camp helipad, located east and 1,000ft (300m) south of the approach end of the same runway, which was an en-route stop during a scheduled passenger and mail service. Aboard were 11 men, including a crew of six.

“Converging at a shallow angle, with the speed of the aeroplane estimated at around 120mph (190kph) and that of the helicopter about 100mph (185kph), they collided at an altitude of approximately 1,100ft (335m). In an apparent evasive maneuver, 63-9753 had initiated a roll to the right before the rear rotor blades of 66-19041 sliced into its cockpit section, killing the former’s two pilots. The C-7 then went into a steep descending turn to the right and plunged to earth; there was no post-impact fire. All three of the rear rotor blades having been severed in the collision and its rear rotor pylon separating thereafter, the CH-47 fell to the ground with virtually no forward speed and exploded. Two victims actually fell from the helicopter before it crashed.

“The local weather conditions at the time were good, with a visibility of more than 5 miles (10km), broken cumulus and alto-cumulus clouds above the collision altitude and high cirro-stratus, and in a five-knot wind from a north-easterly direction.

“Though not officially reported by either military branch, there were indications that the Army rotorcraft did not conform to the prescribed airfield circuit procedures during its approach. Specifically, it did not follow the traffic pattern of fixed-wing aircraft and had remained above the maximum height of 600ft (180m) required for helicopters. Additionally, its crew had failed to radio the control tower for clearance to land.”

Newspaper

Oct 4: “Saigon, South Vietnam, Oct. 3 (AP) — A United States Army helicopter collided today with a twin-engine cargo plane that had just taken off from the Camp Evans airstrip and all 24 Americans aboard both craft were killed, the United States Command reported. It said that 13 American servicemen, including four Air Force crewmen, had been on the C-7 Caribou plane and that 11 men, including four Army crewmen, had been aboard the double-rotor Chinook helicopter. The collision occurred half a mile south of the airstrip, which is situated 11 miles north of Hue….” (New York Times. “24 Die in Air Crash in South Vietnam. U.S. Copter Collides With Cargo Plane Near Hue.” 10-4-1968, p. 13.)

Oct 4: “Saigon (UPI)….U.S. spokesmen today reported the collision of an Air Force transport and an Army helicopter over the northern coast of South Vietnam Thursday that killed 24 American GIs. There were no survivors. A preliminary investigation today indicted pilot error was to blame for the collision of the two-engine Caribou transport plane and the CH47 helicopter a half mile from Camp Evans. Preliminary reports said the helicopter lifted off and smashed into the transport just seconds after the plane had taken off from the Camp Evans airstrip.” (UPI. “Viet Plane, Copter Hit; 24 GIs Die.” Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 10-4-1968, 1.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. USAF de Havilland Canada C-7B Caribou (DHC-4) 3 October 1968. Accessed 4-7-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19681003-0

Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives. “Crash of a De Havilland C-7B Caribou at Camp Evans AFB: 13 killed.” Accessed 4-7-2022 at: https://www.baaa-acro.com/city/camp-evans-afb-hue

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

New York Times. “24 Die in Air Crash in South Vietnam. U.S. Copter Collides With Cargo Plane Near Hue.” 10-4-1968, p. 13.

UPI (United Press International). “Viet Plane, Copter Hit; 24 GIs Die.” Press-Telegram, Long Beach, CA. 10-4-1968, 1. Accessed 4-7-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/press-telegram-oct-04-1968-p-1/

whpa.org. “Helicopter CH-47A 66-19041. Accessed 4-7-2022 at: https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/incident/681003141ACD.HTM