Narrative:The Hercules was flying U.S. marines back to Vietnam after a rest and relaxation leave in Hong Kong. The airplane was bound for Da Nang Air Base and Saigon. Shortly after lifting off the runway, the airplane veered left, struck a sea wall and crashed into the water about 40 feet off an industrial suburb on Hong Kong Island.
The no. 1 engine was delivering only partial power during takeoff.
Classification:
Loss of control
Sources:
» Crash Kills 58 Servicemen (The Edwardsville Intelligencer Tuesday, August 24, 1965)
»
Vietnam Air Losses : United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps fixed-wing aircraft losses in Southeast Asia 1961-1973 / Chris Hobson
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Hong Kong-Kai Tak International Airport to Da Nang Airport as the crow flies is 935 km (584 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.