What happened
During a supply mission originating from Đà Nẵng Airport, a military aircraft was traveling toward the A Shau Special Forces Camp. While operating at a low altitude, the aircraft sustained damage from enemy ground fire. This impact caused the right engine to catch fire and eventually separate from the airframe.
In response to the engine failure and onboard fire, the pilot-in-command performed an emergency landing within a nearby valley. Following the crash, three members of the crew managed to escape the wreckage and evacuate the immediate area. However, the remaining three crew members were killed by enemy forces during the incident.
Findings
Investigations into the loss of the aircraft concluded that the primary reason for the crash was that the aircraft was struck by enemy fire while in flight.