During the flight to the target, Spectre 17 inexplicably broke altitude descending to a lower level according to crewmen aboard other gunships taking part in the same mission, and was hit by enemy ground fire. After evaluating the amount of battle damage sustained by Thor, the decision was made to attempt to return to base. After 10 minutes of stable, level flight, fuel accumulated ankle deep in the cargo area igniting an explosion that severely damaged the aircraft, but did not cause it to disintegrate. According to reports provided by other aircrews who monitored radio communications between the crew of Spectre 17, along with communications between aircraft, none of the 16 crewmen were injured by the ground fire that initially damaged the gunship. The crewmen were preparing for a possible bailout by putting on their parachutes, and those men not necessary for flying it were moving to the rear of the aircraft. The jump bell was heard over the headsets of those monitoring communications between the aircraft 5 to 10 seconds before Spectre 17 exploded. Further, once the men hit the ground, many emergency beepers were heard "going off all over the place."

TSgt. Richard Williams parachuted just before the explosion and A1C Carl E. Stevens did the same immediately afterward. Both men evaded enemy patrols and were rescued hours later. Other than A1C Stevens and TSgt. Williams who were rescued, no other crewmen could be located.

Actual Survivor TSgt Williams Account of the incident:

I APPRECIATE YOUR REMEMBERING OF SPECTRE 17 BUT I WOULD LIKE TO CLEAR UP SOME MIS INFORMATION. AS THE ONLY LIVING MEMBER OF THAT CREW IT IS STILL VIVID IN MY MIND. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I WAS WORKING THE 40S WITH REED, FENTER ON THE 20S AND ELLIOT IN THE WINDOW. I DON'T THINK WE GOT HALF AN ORBIT IN WITH THE 20S ON THE LINE WHEN WE WERE HIT. AFTER HEARING WE WERE RTB, WE CLEANED UP THE 40S AND I WALKED UP TO THE AREA WHERE WE WERE HIT AND OBSERVED A HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SMALL COFFEE CAN AND FUEL WAS POURING OUT OF IT, IT WAS WHERE THE WING JOINS THE FUSELAGE ABOUT EVEN WITH THE TOP OF THE BOOTH. FUEL WAS FLOWING TO THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. I THEN WALKED BACK AND LOOKED IN THE BOOTH AND ALL WERE AT THEIR STATIONS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. I THEN JOINED MAJOR MEDER, WHO WAS ON AN ORIENTATION FLIGHT AND DID NOT HAVE A SEAT IN THE BOOTH, BOTH I.O.s AND GUNNER REED WHO WERE ON THE RAMP. THE BACK OF THE A/C WAS SATURATED WITH FUEL, NOT ANKLE DEEP BUT MAYBE SOLE DEEP. ALL THIS TIME THE COCKPIT CREW WAS TRYING TO GET THE FUEL STOPPED WITH NO SUCCESS. I THEN POSITIONED MYSELF AT THE TOP OF THE RAMP LOOKING FORWARD AND SOON AFTER SOMEONE IN THE COCKPIT CALLED FOR THE A/C MANUALS WHICH I BELIEVE WERE IN THE BOOTH AND WINNINGHAM VOLUNTEERED TO GET THEM TO THE FRONT. MINUTES LATER THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION, THE A/C VEERED HARD LEFT AND THE CARGO COMPARTMENT WAS FILLED WITH FLAMES. I FLUNG MYSELF BACKWARDS AND WENT OUT IN A BALL OF FIRE. STEVENS SAID THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO HIM. AT NO TIME DID I HEAR ANY BAIL OUT BELL NOR  WAS ANYONE TOLD TO HEAD FOR THE REAR OF THE A/C. WE WERE ON THE RAMP TO GET OUT OF THE FUEL. RIGHT AFTER I GOT A GOOD CHUTE THERE WAS A BRIGHT FLASH UNDER ME WHERE THE A/C IMPACTED AND SECONDS LATER I FELT THE CONCUSSION. I LANDED ABOUT 2 HUNDRED METERS FROM THE CRASH SITE MY CHUTE IN A TREE MY FEET ONLY INCHES FROM THE GROUND. I E&ED A SHORT DISTANCE AND WAS PICKED UP 2 AND A HALF HOURS LATER BY JOLLY GREEN. SSGT. JACK STEPHENS  WAS THE P.J. CARL STEVENS WAS PICKED UP NEARBY NOT LONG AFTER. BY THE WAY HE WAS AN A1C NOT A TECH.

I HAVE THE TAPE RECORDING FROM SPECTRE 07 WHO WERE COMING TO ESCORT US BACK AND WHO WAS THE ONSCENE COMMANDER AND ALTHOUGH THEY WERE 50 MILES FROM US SAW WHAT THEY AT FIRST THOUGHT WAS A FLARE FALLING TO THE GROUND BUT IN REALITY WAS A/C 490  DON'T KNOW WHY THERE WERE SO MANY UN TRUTHS THAT CAME OUT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, YOU OUGHT TO SEE WHAT'S ON SOME OF THE WEB SITES BUT IT WAS 38 YEARS AGO AND I STOPPED TRYING TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. UNTIL TODAY.            -WILLIE  LEAD GUNNER CREW 10

The crash site is located inside the red circle (UNDER CONSTRUCTION>>>>)