Incident
An aircraft was operating a mission over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in southern Laos when its port engine was struck by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) near the village of Ban Namchalo. The pilot promptly aborted the mission and navigated back to Nakhon Phanom, where a controlled emergency landing was executed.
Aftermath
All five crew members on board escaped without injury. However, the aircraft sustained extensive damage from the AAA strike and subsequent landing, rendering it beyond economical repair. The severely damaged airframe was subsequently scrapped.
Investigation
The official investigation concluded that the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire, specifically anti-aircraft artillery. No further details regarding the aircraft type or mission were disclosed in the source.