What happened
During a nighttime gunship mission, the pilot reported to ground control that the left engine had experienced the loss of a propeller blade. Following this mechanical failure, the captain initially intended to divert the flight back to Đà Nẵng Airport. However, the decision was later made to proceed over the South China Sea.
As the situation progressed, all 10 crew members evacuated the aircraft. The plane subsequently crashed into the sea. Search and rescue efforts located nine survivors, but one member of the crew remained missing following the incident.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the loss of a propeller blade during flight.