On August 17, 1967, a De Havilland DHC-3 Otter (registration 58-1702) operated by United States Army was involved in an aviation accident near Pleiku, Vietnam during landing or approach. 4 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to recognize that the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude during a low-visibility approach led to a collision with terrain. 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.
An aircraft crashed into a forested area on Mt Dragon during its approach to Pleiku, resulting in the deaths of all four people on board.
What happened
During an approach to Pleiku Airport from a southern direction, an aircraft encountered adverse weather characterized by rain showers and low cloud cover. During this descent, the pilot did not maintain sufficient altitude, leading the plane to collide with trees in a heavily forested region of Mt Dragon, situated approximately 13 km south of the airfield. The impact resulted in a post-crash fire. Following the accident, search and rescue efforts were initiated, though the wreckage was not located until September 7.
Findings
The crew encountered poor visibility due to low clouds and precipitation.
The pilot failed to maintain the required altitude during the approach phase.
There were four fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to recognize that the aircraft was at an insufficient altitude during a low-visibility approach led to a collision with terrain.