Date:	Tuesday 5 October 1965
Time:
Type:	McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo
Owner/operator:	United States Air Force (USAF)
Registration:	56-0178
MSN:	158
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Da Nang, RSVN -   Vietnam
Phase:	Combat
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Udorn RTAFB, Thailand
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
On October 5, 1965, two RF-101C's of the 15th TRS, 18th TFW, departed Udorn RTAFB on a BDA reconnaissance mission of the Lang Met bridge and ammunition depot, approximately 40 miles northeast of Hanoi. Nearing Kep, 8 miles from the objective, the two Voodoos ran into an antiaircraft barrage that damaged both aircraft. The lead aircraft, 56-0178, piloted by Captain Robert Pitt, broke into flames from a ruptured fuel tank. The pilot shut down the left engine and the fire went out. He turned toward the safety of the Gulf of Tonkin as his wing man, Major Tony Weissgarber, managed to complete the BDA mission, even though his own aircraft was badly damaged. As Capt Pitt flew on, he decided to head for Da Nang, RSVN, still some 100 miles to the south. He was at a low fuel state due to the ruptured fuel tank, but could not take on fuel from a tanker because the loss of hydraulics prevented the refuelling probe from deploying. Down to minimum fuel as he approached Da Nang, he was able to lower the landing gear by emergency procedure. On touch down, a stiff crosswind pushed the Voodoo to the left. As there was no nose wheel steering control, the aircraft departed the runway, shearing the gear and hitting the GCA shack before coming to a stop. Capt. Pitt had received shrapnel injury when the AAA had damaged his aircraft but otherwise was fine from the crash. Voodoo 56-0178 was written off.

RF-101 Units in Combat: Peter E. Davies (Pg 69,93)
Voodoo Warriors: The Story of the McDonnell Voodoo Fast-Jets, Nigel Walpole (Pg 253)
Tactical Reconnaissance in the Cold War: Doug Gordon (Pg331)
https://firstaerosquadron.com/tag/north-vietnam/ (Personal account)
http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-articles/flying-barrel-explaining-f-101-voodoo.html (Photo)
El Litoral 5 October 1965, p1 (2)

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
28-Mar-2013 14:59	Uli Elch	Added
28-Mar-2013 15:36	Uli Elch	Updated [Date, Registration, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Narrative]
16-Jun-2015 16:39	TB	Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Source, Narrative]
09-Jun-2021 06:16	Cosmo	Updated [Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]