Narrative:The AC-130A gunship operated on a night time reconnaissance flight checking for enemy truck traffic. The crew noticed a convoy and were preparing to attack when their Hercules was struck by two rounds of 37 mm AAA. It was flying near Ban Tabok, 32 km SW of the A Shau Valley at an altitude of 6500 feet.
The hydraulic system failed and the flight crew were not able to used elevator trim, rudder control and autopilot. Using differential engine power the pilot managed to head to Ubon for an emergency landing. Several crew members were ordered to bail out before the landing. The Hercules crash-landed, skidding off the runway. It burst into flames when a wing was torn off after striking the barrier cable housing near the end of the runway.
Shot at over Laos and crash-landed in Thailand.
Sources:
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Vietnam Air Losses : United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps fixed-wing aircraft losses in Southeast Asia 1961-1973 / Chris Hobson
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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.