Incident
On a flight from Saigon to Nha Trang Air Base, the aircraft was descending through poor weather conditions. The ceiling was broken at 2,000 feet with horizontal visibility estimated at 1,500 metres. While on approach at an altitude of 4,600 feet, the crew failed to realize the aircraft's altitude was too low. The right wing struck trees, leading to a loss of control. The airplane subsequently crashed in flames on the slope of a mountain in a wooded area, approximately 25 km southwest of the airport.
Wreckage and Recovery
Due to the poor weather and the inaccessible terrain, the crash site was not reached until nine days after the accident. The wreckage was found about 150 feet below the summit of the mountain. All 79 occupants on board were killed in the crash. The crew members were identified as Maj Robert Lee Baker, 1st Lt Marvin S. Arthington, 1st Lt Frederick M. Rader, T/Sgt William Brandon O'Kieff, Sgt Allen James Bodin, and A1c Frederick Richard Neff.
Probable Cause
The official findings determined the probable cause of the accident to be controlled flight into terrain.