EC-47 43-49679, Hit by China Airline on Ground 18 February, 1967

EC-47 43-49679, Hit by China Airline on Ground 18 February, 1967

The following based on USAF Accident/Incident Report dated February 18, 1967.

History of Flight

At 1024 Hours on 18 February 1967, at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, RC-47P, serial number 43-49679, received substantial damage when struck by a China Airline C-46, tail number CA2. The RC-47 was parked in a designated parking area, properly chocked with controls locked. The C-46 left the high speed taxiway and collided with the RC-47.

Shortly after landing on runway 25, the China Airline C-46 was observed by the tower advisor to have a smoking brake, and the crash phone was actuated. The China Airline pilot turned off the runway onto the high speed taxiway (W-5) and at this time discovered that he had a defective right brake. The pilot ground looped the aircraft to prevent it from crossing the east-west taxiway onto the C-121 ramp. The C-46 aircraft made a 360 degree ground loop to the left and struck the RC-47 upon starting a second ground loop. The engines of the C-46 were stopped and the crew and passengers evacuated the aircraft. Fire trucks were on the scene and standing by. There was no fire nor any personnel injuries.

As you already have me listed on your site, I was a backender on the EC47N from 9/66 to 9/67. The enclosed photo shows that one of our EC47s had an encounter with a C46. The thing is, I don�t know who ran into whom, and didn�t hear anything about it around the base afterwards. I took the photo as we were on taxi to take off for a mission. Maybe you can find someone who was there at the time? Notice it looks like (closeup) that the EC47 was hit on the co-pilot side before it came to rest. Tail Number of the China Air C-46 ,"CA2" and it matches.

{{ Odd looking positions of the aircraft. Looks like the EC-47 was indeed hit under the Co-Pilots window, but the photo shows the China Air C-46 nose to be on the left or Pilots side in the photos. Anyone able to explain this?? Thanks, J.C. }}

By the way I didn�t know which version of the EC47 I was on until I�ve read some of the history and information from your site. Now I know I was always on the �N� I�m not sure if any of the �P� were around before I left.

James M. Robins

Finally got a photo of this accident, 23 Nov. 2006.

Thanks to Jim Robins