54-0588

On May 23, 1968 at 12:00 AM, 54-0588 experienced a crash involving Fairchild C-123 Provider, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Xóm Rach Tàu Cà Mau Province.

The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

3 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 3, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The crew was engaged in an aerial attack of a Viêt Cong camp located at Xóm Rach Tàu, at the extreme south coast of South Vietnam. While cruising at low height, the airplane was hit by enemy fire. The left engine and the left wing caught fire and the crew elected to evacuate the area when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea few km offshore. All three crew members were killed. Crew: Lt Col Emmet Rucker, Maj James L. Shanks, Sgt Herbert E. Schmidt.

Aircraft reference details include registration 54-0588, MSN 20037, year of manufacture 1954.