2 fatalities

1968-07-25: De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou (63-9761) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Pleiku, Vietnam

Pleiku, VietnamFlight

On July 25, 1968, a De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou (registration 63-9761) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Pleiku, Vietnam in flight. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft entered a stall due to insufficient airspeed at a low altitude during a dropping mission. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781238589Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into a wooded area during a low-altitude mission, resulting in two fatalities and two injuries.

What happened

During the execution of an aerial dropping mission, the aircraft was operating at a decreased airspeed and low altitude. While performing these maneuvers, the plane entered a stall condition, leading it to collide with trees before coming to rest in a heavily wooded region.

The accident resulted in two fatalities and two injuries among the crew members on board.

Findings

Investigations into the crash determined that the primary factor was an aerodynamic stall. This loss of lift occurred because the aircraft was traveling at an insufficient velocity while flying at a dangerously low altitude during its operational mission.

Probable cause

The aircraft entered a stall due to insufficient airspeed at a low altitude during a dropping mission.