Narrative:
The Lockheed OP-2E Neptune was shot down by AAA in Laos.
The aircraft was flying at 5,000 feet above the jungle tops when it was hit in the radar well area where the old APS -20E radar had been removed.
One crewman was killed instantly. The hydraulic and electrical systems were severely damaged and the aircraft immediately filled with acrid smoke and fumes. The Commander ordered his crew to bail out. He remained at the controls of the stricken aircraft until the remaining seven crewmen had successfully bailed out.
He was seen to bail out, but never located and listed as MiA.
| Status: | |
| Date: | Tuesday 27 February 1968 |
| Type: |  Lockheed OP-2E Neptune |
| Operator: | United States Navy |
| Registration: | 131484 |
| MSN: | 426-5365 |
| First flight: | |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 10 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 10 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | within Laos ( Laos)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Nakhon Phanom RTAFB (KOP/VTUW), Thailand |
| ? |
The Lockheed OP-2E Neptune was shot down by AAA in Laos.
The aircraft was flying at 5,000 feet above the jungle tops when it was hit in the radar well area where the old APS -20E radar had been removed.
One crewman was killed instantly. The hydraulic and electrical systems were severely damaged and the aircraft immediately filled with acrid smoke and fumes. The Commander ordered his crew to bail out. He remained at the controls of the stricken aircraft until the remaining seven crewmen had successfully bailed out.
He was seen to bail out, but never located and listed as MiA.
Sources:
» US Navy and US Marine Corps Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present / Joe BaugherPhotos
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.
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