Accident Overview
A single-engine airplane departed Long Tieng Airfield at 1655 local time on a special flight to Sam Thong, operating under contract number AID-439-342. Approximately five minutes after departure, during an en route climb, the aircraft was observed performing an erratic maneuver inconsistent with the nature of the flight. It subsequently crashed into a hillside. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire. All 12 passengers, Laotian citizens, and the pilot, Captain Ralph S. Davis, were killed.
Official Probable Cause
The investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was the fatal wounding of the pilot by a bullet fired from a source outside the aircraft, resulting in the loss of control.