What happened
During a nighttime cargo mission from Tachikawa AFB to Đà Nổng, an aircraft carrying various equipment and supplies struck an obstacle while attempting to land. The flight was being conducted as a subcontracted mission for the US Air Force. As the crew approached Đà Nẵng Airport, they encountered severe weather characterized by heavy rainfall and dense fog.
Due to the low visibility, the aircraft's altitude dropped too low, leading to an impact with an obstacle. This caused the plane to stall and crash into flames within the Binh Thai district, just a short distance from the runway threshold. The force of the impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate, which subsequently destroyed several nearby residences. The accident resulted in 111 fatalities, including all four crew members and 107 individuals on the ground. Additionally, 50 injuries were reported, with 19 of those victims sustaining serious wounds.
Findings
Investigations into the crash indicated that the flight crew attempted to continue their descent below established weather minima in an effort to regain visual contact with the ground. The presence of heavy rain and fog, which significantly reduced visibility, served as contributing factors to the controlled flight into terrain.