Incident
Shortly after takeoff from Khâm Đức Airfield, while in initial climb, the aircraft was shot down by North-Vietnamese soldiers who were conducting an assault of the airbase. The aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion some 4 km east of the airfield. All 155 occupants, South-Vietnamese soldiers with their wife and children, were killed. Up to date, this was the worst crash by the USAF and the worst in Vietnam.
Crew
The crew consisted of: Major Bernard Ludwig Bucher, 1st Lieutenant Stephan Craig Moreland, Staff Sergeant Frank Monroe Hepler, Airman First Class George Wendell Long, Major John Lee McElroy, and Captain Warren Robert Orr (who was among the passengers).
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was that the aircraft was shot down by enemy fire.