What happened
During a mission transporting VIP passengers across Vietnam, the aircraft was targeted by enemy ground fire. The impact of the projectiles caused the plane to ignite mid-flight. In response to the developing fire, the crew initiated an emergency descent to find a suitable landing site.
The aircraft ultimately performed a crash landing in an open field. Upon impact, the plane continued to burn, resulting in the total destruction of the airframe. Despite the severity of the fire and the nature of the crash, all 34 occupants were successfully evacuated from the wreckage without loss of life.
Findings
Investigations into the incident concluded that the primary factor leading to the emergency was the aircraft being struck by enemy fire, which directly caused the onboard fire.