What happened
During a nighttime reconnaissance mission intended to monitor for enemy truck movement, an AC-130A gunship was engaged by ground fire. While the crew was preparing to strike a detected convoy, the aircraft was hit by two 37 mm anti-aircraft artillery rounds. The incident occurred at an altitude of 6,500 feet in the vicinity of Ban Tabok, located approximately 32 km southwest of the A Shau Valley.
The impact caused a critical failure within the aircraft's hydraulic system. This malfunction rendered the autopilot, rudder control, and elevator trim inoperable. To maintain control of the Hercules, the pilot utilized differential engine power to navigate toward Ubon for an emergency descent. Prior to reaching the airfield, several members of the crew were instructed to exit the aircraft via bailout.
Upon attempting an emergency landing, the aircraft struck a barrier cable housing near the runway's end. The collision tore a wing from the airframe and caused the plane to skid off the runway, subsequently bursting into flames. There were multiple fatalities among the crew during the sequence of events.
Findings
Investigation into the loss of the aircraft determined that the primary factor was the direct impact of enemy anti-aircraft fire, which led to the total loss of hydraulic flight controls.