What happened
On an aerial mission targeting the A Shau Valley, two heavy bombers departed from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. The first aircraft, a Boeing B-52D-75-BO Stratofortress with registration 56-0595, was operated by a crew of six. The second aircraft, a Boeing B-52D-80-BO Stratofortress registered 56-0627, was manned by a crew of seven.
As the formation approached the coastline of South Vietnam, the two planes collided in mid-air. Following the impact, both aircraft crashed into the mouth of the Mekong River, situated approximately 100 km south of Saigon. The accident resulted in nine fatalities and six survivors. Specifically, three members of the crew from 56-0595 survived the crash, while three members from 56-0627 were also found alive.
Findings
Preliminary investigations suggested that the mid-air collision was triggered by an attempt to adjust formation positioning. It is believed that a crew member on one of the aircraft attempted to modify his position within the flight group, leading to the fatal contact between the two bombers.