What happened
During a mission to deliver supplies to General Vang Pao's Hmong Army, an aircraft operated by the CIA crashed while flying at a low altitude. The flight was part of an ongoing effort to support local forces through aerial resupply. During the execution of the mission, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn at a low height. This maneuver caused the wingtip of the aircraft to make contact with the ground, leading to the immediate destruction of the plane.
All six people on board the aircraft perished in the accident. The casualties included three CIA personnel and three other crew members.
Findings
Investigations into the crash concluded that the accident was the result of an error of judgment by the pilot-in-command during the low-altitude flight maneuvers required for the supply drop.