U-Tapao - U-Tapao

On December 26, 1972 at 12:00 AM, U-Tapao - U-Tapao experienced a crash involving Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Pattaya-U-Tapao Rayong (<U+0E23><U+0E30><U+0E22><U+0E2D><U+0E07>).

The flight was categorized as bombing and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 66.7%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 4, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. The airplane was engaged in the Linebacker II mission over North Vietnam, carrying six crew members from U-Tapao NAS. While overflying the Hanoi area, the aircraft was hit by a SA-2 surface-to-air missile. The crew decided to leave the target area and to return to U-Tapao NAS for an emergency landing. As the air gunner was wounded, the captain refused to bail out. On approach, as four engines were out of service on the same side, he was forced to initiate a go-around when control was lost. The airplane crashed near the airbase and was destroyed. Four crew members were killed while two others survived. Crew: Cpt James Mack Turner, pilot, † 1st Lt Robert Joseph Hymel, Maj Lawrence Jay Marshall, navigator, † Lt Col Donald Arrington Joyner, radio navigator, † Cpt Roy Tom Tabler, EWO, † T/Sgt Spencer L. Grippin, air gunner.

Aircraft reference details include registration 56-0584, MSN 17267, year of manufacture 1956.