What happened
During an attempt to land at Tuy Hòa Airport, an aircraft carrying 13 tons of aviation fuel crashed approximately 8 km south of the airfield. The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating under conditions of extremely low cloud cover. At the time of the crash, the flight was performing its first mission under the command of the pilot.
All five crew members perished in the accident. While reports indicate that the aircraft may have been struck by ground fire during its descent, there was no definitive confirmation that enemy action was the primary reason for the loss of the plane. An alternative possibility is that the flight encountered high terrain while flying in poor visibility.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under a very low cloud base at the time of the accident.
- Low visibility and potential contact with high ground are considered possible factors in the crash.
- Although ground fire was reported in the vicinity, its role in the destruction of the aircraft remains unverified.