No fatalities

1966-01-09: Fairchild C-123 Provider (54-0676) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Saigon, Vietnam

Saigon, VietnamLanding (descent or approach)

On January 9, 1966, a Fairchild C-123 Provider (registration 54-0676) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Saigon, Vietnam during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: In-flight fire in the cargo compartment for undetermined reason. 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 1781241431Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft diverted to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat after an in-flight fire in the cargo compartment. The aircraft was destroyed upon landing; both pilots escaped without injury. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Incident

During en route operations, the crew contacted ground control and requested permission to divert to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat for an emergency landing due to an in-flight fire. The fire originated in the cargo compartment.

Emergency Landing

The aircraft diverted to Saigon-Tan Son Nhat and executed an emergency landing. After touching down, the airplane came to rest engulfed in flames.

Aftermath

The aircraft was destroyed by the fire. Both pilots aboard escaped without injury. No other occupants or injuries were reported in the source.

Investigation

Investigators examined the incident to determine the cause of the fire. While there were suspicions that the fire may have been the result of sabotage, this was not proven. The official probable cause was determined to be an in-flight fire in the cargo compartment for undetermined reason.