What happened
During a scheduled night interdiction mission, the crew of a twin-engine aircraft maintained radio contact until 0015LT. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft vanished from radar tracking at 0032LT.
Evidence indicates that the aircraft was struck by enemy fire while in flight. The incident resulted in a total of three fatalities among the crew members. One member of the crew was captured and became a prisoner of war following the event.
Findings
- The disappearance from radar coincided with the loss of the aircraft to ground-based or airborne enemy weaponry.
- The mission was being conducted under the cover of darkness during an interdiction operation.