CONDOR CRASH .WALLEY jolley 82 P.O.B. IN CARIBOUSambo, In reading Bill Pike’s email, and in particular the over weight takeoff due to a nested ammo pallet, I recall the incident very well. The aircraft was 173 and it was out of Vung Tau for Bac Liu; the load was manifested as 3 pallets of munitions at 2,000 pounds each. This put us a little overweight but a fairly normal event. On takeoff the pilot flying from the RH seat rotated around 85 knots but apart from the nose coming up not much was happening until around 95 knots when it reluctantly lifted off. The Captain (Bill Pike) took over and the climb was slow. In carefully examining the load I noticed that the back pallet was two pallets nested as one, so we had a 4,000 load at ramp end and 2 2,000 pallets further forward; the Takeoff weight was therefore around 31,000 pounds and the CofG way aft of the limit. With cruise power we made 115 knots. Apart from passengers, the other record attempt sought was carrying empty 44 gallon drums. We organised Master Sergeant Gene Orgeron at Camau put some aside and, as best I can recall, we managed to fit in around 90 – cockpit entry was via the bottom hatch and it was a bit crowded. Cheers Aussie
