air america: pilatus / fairchild pc-6 turbo porters - The University of ...

(Letters by Clyde S. Carter dated 26 June 72 and 20 July 72, in: UTD/CIA/B15F2);
on 26 February 73, N5304F received minor damage to the right elevator, right
horizontal stabilizer, and right aileron; repaired (Accident note to the USAF, dated 27
Feb. 73, in: UTD/CIA/B32F1); on 27 February 73, the tail gear of N5304F was
damaged; repaired (Accident note to the USAF, dated 28 Feb. 73, in:
UTD/CIA/B32F1); assigned to contract F04606-71-C-0002 for use out of Vientiane at
least 16-30 April 73 (F.O.C. of 16 April 73, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F14); assigned to
contract F04606-71-C-0002 for use out of Udorn 1 November-31 December 73
(F.O.Circulars of 1 November 73 and 1 December 73, in: UTD/Hickler/B8F7C); a
photo is preserved in: UTD/Hiffler (Sm. Coll.2).
Fate: ground-looped at Ban Boua Mu (LS-367), Laos, near Long Tieng, on 25
November 73; while N5304F, piloted by Captain P. M. Severson, was landing on
runway 13 at LS-367 on short final, a gust of crosswind from the left forced the
aircraft off the right side of the runway. The pilot added power in an attempt to
recover, but the landing gear contacted a tree stump, shearing the gear. The aircraft
then caught fire and was subsequently destroyed. The pilot and the passengers were
uninjured, however, one indigenous woman was struck by the aircraft, transported to
the hospital at Ban Xon (LS-272), but died some days later due to her injuries.
Captain Severson returned to Udorn via CASI DHC-6 XW-PHP on 25 November 73
(XOXOs of 25 November to 11 December 73, in: UTD/Hickler/B25F12; Accident
report, in: UTD/CIA/B62F5).
Fairchild PC-6C/H-2 N367F 2024 July 72 N367F of Fairchild Industries
Inc, Hagerstown,
MD
Service history: originally bought from Fairchild Hiller on 22 June 71; application
for registration on 26 June 71; registered to Air America on 7 July 71 (Status as of 28
March 74, in: UTD/CIA/B56F3); probably, this deal fell through; not current on 1
July 71; ferried from Hagerstown, MD, to Vientiane by Southern AT L-100 in July 72
(Letter by Paul C. Velte dated 21 June 72, in: UTD/CIA/B15F2); registration
requested on 26 June 72, obtained by 20 July 72 (Letters by Clyde S. Carter dated 26
June 72 and 20 July 72, in: UTD/CIA/B15F2); based at Vientiane; in use at least
between 16 July 72 and 4 September 72 (Log book of R. L. Wofford, in:
UTD/Wofford [Sm. C. 6]); assigned to contract F04606-71-C-0002 for use out of
Vientiane 16-30 April 73 (F.O.C. of 16 April 73, in: UTD/Kaufman/B1F14); a photo
is preserved in: UTD/Anthony/F9, taken at Vientiane between 72 and 73 and showing
N367F without titles or flag; assigned to contract F04606-71-C-0002 for use out of
Udorn 1 November-31 December 73 (F.O.Circulars of 1 November 73 and 1
December 73, in: UTD/Hickler/B8F7C); stored at Udorn at least 1-28 February 74
and 1-30 April 74 (F.O.C. of 1 Feb. 74, in: UTD/CIA/B51F21; F.O.Circular of 1
April 74, in: UTD/Hickler/B8F7C); used as spare aircraft at Bangkok 1-31 May 74
(F.O.Circular of 1 May 74, in: UTD/Hickler/B8F7C); still on 23 June 74 (Udorn daily
flight schedule of 23 June 74, in: UTD/Spencer/B1F2); ferried from Bangkok to
Saigon on 1 July 74, when the Bangkok base was phased out; the pilot was Capt. G.
H. Wilkinson (Telex dated 1 July 74, in: UTD/CIA/B18F4; Bangkok daily flight
schedule of 1 July 74, in: UTD/Hickler/B5F10).
Fate: had been disassembled and was awaiting crating at Tan Son Nhut airport,
Saigon, scheduled for 29 April 75, but was abandoned there on 29 April 75 during the
evacuation, amounting to a loss of $ 121.032,41; this was reported to the FAA on 11
June 75, but it was requested that the registration should be maintained; confirmation