U.S. Air Force Caribou  (C-7)
Page 3
Crash of #62-4189 at Dak Pek
(Click on photos to enlarge)
<<< New York Times Article on the crash landing of 62-4189 (c/n #132)  "Tail code KC-189" at Dak Pek on 5/29/68. (Via Bob Payne)
>>> KC-189  just before impact. (Via Bob Payne)
>>> After the crash, in which the right wing was torn off and burning in the background. (Via Bob Payne)
>>> A view of the crash scene from the approach end of the runway.  (Via Bob Payne)
<<< A view looking down the runway at the wreckage.  A parked Caribou can be seen at the left. (Via Bob Payne)
>>> Close-up of the burning right wing and right main gear. (Via Bob Payne)
<<<  View of the wreckage of the fuselage from the rear. (Via Bob Payne)
>>> A final picture, taken of the nose of the aircraft. (Via Bob Payne)

C-7 Accident at Bien Hoa Air Base

Click on photos to enlarge

The following story and photos were provided by Raymond Morgan who was based at Bien Hoa Airbase in 1969/1970. 

I was on duty with the 3rd Security Police at Bien Hoa Air Base at the time of the C-7 crash. I had drove over to the HOT Cargo area to see my brother Ssgt. Wayne Morgan when an in-flight emergency came over the radio. We were in a good spot to watch the C-7 coming in on final approach. The foaming truck had just finished when the C-7 touched down on the runway with wheels up. The pilot made a good landing but after the C-7 got about half way down the runway the left wing tip made contact with the ground and caused the C-7 to side to the left. The C-7 never made contact with the hanger but from were we were standing it sure looked like it was going to. 

An A-37 aircraft taxing by some hangers oblivious to the emergency. If you look through the hanger just above the pilot's head you can see a crashing C-7 Caribou about to slam into the hanger! The pilot was looking at us and we were yelling and waving frantically at him. He never knew what the hell we were shouting about.

No body was hurt. Just another day at Bien Hoa. 

Note - the pilot of that fight passed on the following . We took a round in the olio strut, left gear failed to come down, asked me to fly to Bien Hoa for a controlled crash landing, got the runway foamed using a fire truck, had near 0 fuel asked the firetruck to depart then landed and slid 300-400 ft, no major damage other then props, minor bottom skin...the one smart thing I did was had the FE join the 2 CAS members, 1 Cambodian photo person and a Army Cpt who was hitching a ride to sit at the back of the aircraft...when #2 prop hit the runway a large chunk came thru the side which would have killed or injured the FE... Callsign was Iris Jr./536TAS
The fatal crash of 63-9723 (c/n #156) on 12/26/69 at Tien Phuc.  Upside down remains of the Caribou. The tail section is folded over the rest of the fuselage.On short final to Tien Phuc, Pilot Lt. Dave Bowling took a round of ground fire directly into his heart. The 'Bou went into a rice paddy. The Co-pilot, Lt. Patterson recovered. The Flight Mechanic, E. J. "Squeak" Welch, was crushed by the cargo as it broke free. (Tom Finkler)
Incident at Tra Bong, RVN
Caribou 63-9724  (c/n #158) off the end of the runway at Tra Bong. May 1970. There were no injuries. It was decided to extract this damaged Caribou from Tra Bong by using a CH-64 Skycrane helicopter. Props and outboard wing sections were removed. On 6/9/70 as the Skycrane was lifting the Caribou, the lifting sling snapped. The left horizontal stabilizer just about to hit the ground. After hitting the ground, the Caribou broke in half forward of the troop doors. As the main gear then hit the ground the engines broke their mounts and also tumbled to the ground. After hitting the ground, the Caribou broke in half forward of the troop doors. As the main gear then hit the ground the engines broke their mounts and also tumbled to the ground.  (TomFinkler)

 
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