What happened
During an active assault on the Khâm Đức Airfield, an aircraft was struck by ground fire while performing its initial climb. The strike occurred just after the plane departed from the airfield. Following the impact, the aircraft lost stability and plummeted, resulting in a massive explosion approximately 4 km east of the base.
There were no survivors of the accident. The total number of fatalities reached 155, comprising South-Vietnamese soldiers along with their families, including women and children. This event remains recorded as one of the most significant losses involving the USAF and stands as a major aviation disaster during the conflict in Vietnam.
Findings
Investigation into the destruction of the aircraft concluded that the plane was shot down by North-Vietnamese soldiers who were engaged in an offensive against the airfield at the time of the incident.