| Date: 24 August 1965 |
| Aircraft type: KC-130F Hercules |
| Serial Number: 149802 |
| Military Unit: VMGR-152, MAG-15 |
| Service: USMC |
| Home Base: Futenma |
| Name(s): |
| 6 crew and 65 passengers names unknown (KWF) |
| 59 KWF, 12 survived.
A Marine Corps Hercules crashed into Kowloon Bay moments after taking off from Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong on a flight to Da Nang. The aircraft was carrying 65 passengers and six crew, only 12 of whom survived the accident. Two crewmembers, Sgt Gordon Harry Blexrude and Cpl Jerry L Gerry, were amongst the dead. The Hercules took off with No1 engine delivering partial power and the aircraft veered off the runway and lifted off in a semi-stalled condition. After a short distance its port wing struck a low sea wall and the aircraft burst into flames before it crashed into the sea. The cause of the accident was attributed to poor judgement on the part of the aircraft commander and non-adherence to standard operating procedures. The aircraft was returning Marine Corps personnel to Vietnam after a period of leave in Hong Kong. |
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