23 fatalities

Fatal aircraft accident near Kon Tum Airport

Kon Tum, VietnamTakeoff (climb)

On July 15, 1962, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) operated by Vietnam People's Air Force (Không quân Nhân dân Việt Nam) was involved in an aviation accident near Kon Tum, Vietnam during takeoff. 23 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft entered a stall during its initial climb following takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 5 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed during its initial climb shortly after departing Kon Tum Airport, resulting in numerous fatalities.

What happened

During a recent flight departing from Kon Tum Airport, an aircraft experienced a catastrophic failure during the early stages of its ascent. While the plane was performing its initial climb following takeoff, it entered a stall condition. This loss of lift led to the aircraft descending rapidly and impacting the ground, where the impact resulted in a post-crash fire.

As a result of the accident, there were 23 fatalities among those on board. Additionally, the crash left four passengers injured during the event. The incident occurred in the immediate vicinity of the departure airfield during the takeoff phase of the flight.

Findings

Preliminary information indicates that the primary factor leading to the accident was that the aircraft stalled while attempting to climb after leaving the runway.

Probable cause

The aircraft entered a stall during its initial climb following takeoff.