Why the C-5A Crashed

As the mass exodus from Saigon really began three weeks ago, a huge Air Force C-5A transport took off for the U.S. with a load of orphans andaccompanying adults. Less than an hour later, the plane crashed in a paddy, killing 206 of the more than 300 passengers aboard. Last week TIME learned that Government investigators have agreed on the probable cause of the disaster: a defective latch on the door of the rear loading platform.

As the C-5A climbed, the air pressure outside the aircraft gradually diminished. Meanwhile, the pressure inside the cavernous holds and cabins was built up. At 23,000 ft., the pressure from within had grown too great. The improperly latched door blew out, followed by the ramp and other pieces of gear.

The explosive ejection severed the elevator-control cables leading to the plane's tall, T-shaped tail. To keep the plane from nosing into a dive, the pilots had to maintain a speed of 325 m.p.h. while turning back for Saigon. But on its landing approach, the giant jet pitched down and crashed.

As it happened, two Air Force photographers who were aboard took pictures of the damaged tail area while the plane was still aloft. But when South Vietnamese soldiers looted the crash site, they destroyed the film as well as the flight-data recorder. The looters also stripped an injured flight engineer, pinned in the wreckage, of his pistol, watch, wallet, shoes and socks.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.