Incident
The aircraft departed Đà Nẵng Airport on a supply mission to the A Shau Special Forces Camp. While flying at low altitude, the aircraft was struck by enemy ground fire. The right engine caught fire and later separated from the aircraft. The pilot-in-command decided to conduct an emergency landing in a nearby valley.
Crew and Casualties
Following the landing, three crew members were able to evacuate the area. The remaining three crew members were killed by enemy soldiers. The crew consisted of:
- Captain Willard Marioins Collins
- 1st Lieutenant Delbert Ray Peterson (†)
- 1st Lieutenant J. L. Meek (†)
- Staff Sergeant J. G. Brown
- Staff Sergeant Robert Eugene Foster
- Staff Sergeant J. Turner (†)
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that the accident was caused by the aircraft being shot down by enemy fire.