Vientiane - Saigon

While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet en route from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew informed ATC about his position over PE5 on the G67 airway when contact was lost. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located about 25 km southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants have been killed, among them a Swiss citizen in charge of the medical missions of the Red Cross in Vietnam.

Flight / Schedule

Vientiane - Saigon

Registration

XV-NUJ

MSN

10701

Year of Manufacture

1945

Operator

Air Vietnam

Date

March 12, 1975 at 06:30 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Crash Location

Pleiku Gia Lai Province

Region

Asia • Vietnam

Coordinates

13.9860°, 108.0074°

Crash Cause

Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Narrative Report

On March 12, 1975 at 06:30 PM, Vientiane - Saigon experienced a crash involving Douglas C-54 Skymaster, operated by Air Vietnam, with the event recorded near Pleiku Gia Lai Province.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

26 people were known to be on board, 26 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: 20, passenger fatalities: 20, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is terrorism act, hijacking, sabotage. While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet en route from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew informed ATC about his position over PE5 on the G67 airway when contact was lost. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located about 25 km southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants have been killed, among them a Swiss citizen in charge of the medical missions of the Red Cross in Vietnam.

Aircraft reference details include registration XV-NUJ, MSN 10701, year of manufacture 1945.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 13.9860°, 108.0074°.

Fatalities

Total

26

Crew

6

Passengers

20

Other

0

Crash Summary

While cruising at an altitude of 11,000 feet en route from Vientiane to Saigon, the crew informed ATC about his position over PE5 on the G67 airway when contact was lost. The airplane spiraled to the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located about 25 km southwest of Pleiku. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 26 occupants have been killed, among them a Swiss citizen in charge of the medical missions of the Red Cross in Vietnam.

Cause: Terrorism act, Hijacking, Sabotage

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

6

Passengers On Board

20

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 26

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Vientiane - Saigon

Operator

Air Vietnam

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Plain, Valley

Region / Country

Asia • Vietnam

Aircraft Details

Registration

XV-NUJ

MSN

10701

Year of Manufacture

1945

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