What happened
During a flight from Biên Hòa Airport to An Lộc, the crew of the aircraft, flying under the callsign Stinger 41, was performing circling maneuvers at an altitude of approximately 4,700 feet. During this phase of flight, the starboard wing sustained damage from ground-based fire. In response to the damage, the pilot attempted to execute an emergency landing by descending and extending the landing gear.
However, the deployment of the gear increased aerodynamic drag significantly, leading to a loss of altitude. As the situation became critical, seven members of the crew successfully exited the aircraft via parachute. The remaining three crew members stayed with the plane until it crashed approximately 8 km from An Lộc. The accident resulted in three fatalities.
Findings
Investigations determined that the primary reason for the loss of the aircraft was that it was hit by ground fire, which compromised the structural integrity of the wing and necessitated the emergency descent.