Hercules Runway Departure and Fire (60-0293)

Incident Overview A Hercules aircraft began its takeoff roll for a leg to Quy Nhơn. Just before lift-off, the aircraft veered to the left and departed the runway. The pilot attempted to steer the aircraft back onto the runway, but it overshot the end, ran down an embankment, and burst into flames. ## Casualties Of the 56 passengers and crew on board, 35 were killed. The fatalities included US, South Vietnamese, and South Korean troops. ## Source The account is based on information provided by Chris Hobson. No aircraft type beyond “Hercules,” registration, operator, date, or specific cause is stated in the source.