39 fatalities

Quảng Ngãi Airport Aircraft Downed by Ground Fire (XV-NIC)

Quảng Ngãi, VietnamTakeoff (climb)

On September 16, 1965, a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) (registration XV-NIC) operated by Air Vietnam was involved in an aviation accident near Quảng Ngãi, Vietnam during takeoff. 39 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Shot down by ground fire. 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.

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

A plane crashed 11 km northeast of Quảng Ngãi Airport after being shot down by ground fire during climbout. A passenger died shortly after surviving the initial impact.

Incident Overview Shortly after departing Quảng Ngãi Airport, the aircraft was struck by ground fire during its initial climb. The accident occurred 11 km northeast of the airport location. No details regarding the specific aircraft registration, exact flight date, or operating organization were provided in the official source documentation. Following the ground fire impact, the airplane went down in the northeastern sector near the departure point. Official records indicate the shootdown by ground-based forces was the primary event leading to the loss of the flight. The physical separation from the departure point was exactly 11 kilometers in the northeast direction, consistent with the climb phase of a short-haul departure.

Probable cause

Shot down by ground fire