Saigon – Pleiku – Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng
Flight / Schedule
Saigon – Pleiku – Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng
Aircraft
Douglas C-54 SkymasterRegistration
XV-NUG
MSN
10860
Year of Manufacture
1945
Operator
Air VietnamDate
September 20, 1969 at 04:00 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng City District
Region
Asia • Vietnam
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On September 20, 1969 at 04:00 PM, Saigon – Pleiku – Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Air Vietnam, with the event recorded near Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng City District.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
77 people were known to be on board, 77 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.
Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 71, passenger fatalities: 69, other fatalities: 2.
The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful flight from Saigon via Pleiku, the crew started the descent to Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng in marginal weather conditions. The visibility was relatively limited due to clouds. On final, the DC-4 was cleared to land on runway 17L. At the same time, the crew of a USAF F4E Phantom II registered 67-0393 was approaching runway 17R when he was contacted by ATC and also cleared to land. The crew of the DC-4 understood this message was dedicated to him so the captain made a turn to the right to join the runway 17R approach path. Doing so in limited visibility, he failed to see the Phantom that was approaching from his right side. Both airplane collided and while the Phantom was able to land, the Skymaster entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a rice paddy field located about three km from the runway threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while 75 other occupants and two people on the ground were killed. Two other people working in the field were also injured.
Aircraft reference details include registration XV-NUG, MSN 10860, year of manufacture 1945.
Fatalities
Total
77
Crew
6
Passengers
69
Other
2
Crash Summary
Following an uneventful flight from Saigon via Pleiku, the crew started the descent to Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng in marginal weather conditions. The visibility was relatively limited due to clouds. On final, the DC-4 was cleared to land on runway 17L. At the same time, the crew of a USAF F4E Phantom II registered 67-0393 was approaching runway 17R when he was contacted by ATC and also cleared to land. The crew of the DC-4 understood this message was dedicated to him so the captain made a turn to the right to join the runway 17R approach path. Doing so in limited visibility, he failed to see the Phantom that was approaching from his right side. Both airplane collided and while the Phantom was able to land, the Skymaster entered a dive and crashed in a huge explosion in a rice paddy field located about three km from the runway threshold. Two passengers were seriously injured while 75 other occupants and two people on the ground were killed. Two other people working in the field were also injured.
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
6
Passengers On Board
71
Estimated Survivors
0
Fatality Rate
100.0%
Known people on board: 77
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Saigon – Pleiku – Ðà N<U+1EB5>ng
Operator
Air VietnamFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
Asia • Vietnam
Aircraft Details
Similar Plane Crashes
Air France
Dewoitine D.338
While on a flight from France to southeast Asia, the three engine aircraft was shot down by the pilot of a Japanese fighter. The aircraft went out of control and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, killing all four crew members. Crew: Alfred Lacaze, pilot, Jean Assolant, copilot, Francis Pechard, radio navigator, Pierre Valepyn, engineer.
Air France
Dewoitine D.338
Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in Indochina in 1940. No casualties. The exact date remains unknown.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
The four-engine aircraft was performing a flight from the US to Casablanca via South America (probably Natal), on behalf of the Air Transport Command. The on board delegation was flying to Morocco to take part to a conference. Rumors of a bomb on board caused the crew to divert to Port of Spain. A screwdriver was found in the hatch containing the IFF device but no trace of a bomb. While flying over Suriname, the aircraft exploded in mid-air, disintegrated and crashed in an isolated area located 30 miles northeast of Paramaribo. All 35 occupants were killed, among them Eric Mowbray Night, author and creator of the fictional collie 'Lassie'. He was Major by the US Army Special Services as well. Two identical C-54 planes traveling just 1/2 hour before and after this plane noticed anti-aircraft fire coming from what appeared to be an enemy submarine. Crew (TWA): Benjamin Hart Dally Jr., pilot, Theodore M. Wagner, copilot, Samuel S. Dorrance, flight surgeon, Everett Lee Bacon, copilot, Jason E. Voss, navigator, James M. Kane, navigator, Clyde E. Quisenberry, flight engineer, Leonard La Frank, radio operator, Leo J. Moriarty, radio operator, Eugene A. Dempf, flight purser. Passengers: Maj Eric Mowbray Knight, Cpt Albert L. Seeman, Cpt Basil D. Gallagher, 1st Lt Charles W. Campbell, 1st Lt Peter D. Barnhart, 1st Lt Donald C. Martin, 2nd Lt Carl A. Matteo, 2nd Lt Robert B. Walker, 2nd Lt John T. Girling, 2nd Lt Thomas L. Gallagher, 2nd Lt Max Solomon, F/O Charles S. Shively, S/Sgt Russell A. Baughman, S/Sgt Ellis H. Roberts Jr., S/Sgt Heyward O. Wylie, S/Sgt Roger M. Stoflet, Sgt Oscar Spahr Jr., Sgt Charles S. Roberts Jr., Percy E. Foxworth, Harold D. Haberfeld, William Hodson, James W. Seeger, Charles Howell Brown, Osmon E. Henryson, Morris Lewis. Source: http://www.lassiecomehome.info/id8.html
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Crashed following an engine failure.
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
The C-54 was flying in formation with a Lockheed C-40A Electra Junior registered 38-546, so his crew could photograph the dropping of a dummy combat tank from the C-54. After the tank was released, the pilot of the C-40A made a quick turn to the left, striking the C-54 right wingtip. The C-40A entered a spin and crashed near the runway, killing all five crew members. The C-54 continued on for 700 feet, allowing two passengers to bail out. The plane then crashed in a vertical dive, killing three other crewmen. Source: http://www.joebaugher.com/
United States Army Air Forces - USAAF
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Lost without trace in Indochina. At least one crew member, Cpl Florian Sticka, was killed.