Crash of a Boeing B-52F-105-BO Stratofortress at Columbus AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Dec 23, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0043
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Columbus - Columbus
MSN:
17437
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Columbus AFB, while climbing, the aircraft went into a cloudy area when control was lost. The airplane inverted then crashed in a huge explosion in a field located few km north of the airbase. All nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Carl M. Funk, pilot,
Cpt Elbert J. Andoe, copilot,
2nd Lt Leonard J. LeRose, copilot,
1st Lt Anthony J. Linzi, navigator,
1st Lt Harry L. Grebe, navigator,
Cpt Harry E. Bell, navigator,
Cpt Fred R. Curtis, radio operator,
1st Lt Liam Rafferty, electronic warfare officer,
M/Sgt Lacy Potter, air gunner.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the loss of control occurred while the airplane was flying in clouds after the artificial horizon failed. Due to the lack of any visual reference points, control was lost.

Crash of a Boeing B-52E-90-BO Stratofortress near Mora: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1963 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0018
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Walker - Walker
MSN:
17412
YOM:
1957
Location:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission our from Walker AFB by night when the tail broke off in turbulence. Four crew members ejected before the aircraft crashed into the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range, some 10 miles northwest of Mora. Two crew members were killed.
Crew:
Four crew survived:
Lt Col Donald Hayes, pilot,
Maj Thomas J. McBride, copilot,
Maj Emil Goldbeck, navigator,
Lt Col Nicholas Horangic, radar operator,
Maj George Szabo, weapons systems operator, †
M/Sgt Harvey Burl Dean, tail gunner. †

Crash of a Boeing B-52C-40-BO Stratofortress in Greenville: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1963 at 1452 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-0406
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Westover - Westover
MSN:
16886
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training flight out from Westover AFB. While cruising at low height, control was lost. Three crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in the Elephant Mountain Range located near Greenville. Seven crew members were killed while two survived.
Crew (99th BS):
Lt Col Dante Bulli, pilot,
Maj Robert J. Morrison, copilot, †
Cpt Gerald Adler, navigator,
Lt Col Joe R. Simpson Jr., †
Maj William W. Gabriel, †
Maj Robert J. Hill, †
Cpt Herbert L. Hansen, †
T/Sgt Michael F. O'Keefe, †
Cpt Charles G. Leuchter. †
Probable cause:
Failure of the stabilizer shaft broke during a low level exercise.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-100-BW Stratofortress into the Atlantic Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0196
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Seymour Johnson - Seymour Johnson
MSN:
464264
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
Pogo 22
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed Seymour Johnson AFB to take part to the 'Sky Shield II' exercise over the Atlantic Ocean under flight code 'Pogo 22'. While cruising by night off the Newfoundland coast, the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into the ocean. SAR mission were conducted but eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.
Crew (4241st Strategic Wing):
Cpt Roland C. Starke Jr., pilot,
1st Lt Kenneth L. Payne, pilot,
Cpt Paul D. Fellows Jr., radar navigator,
Lt Richard C. Wiksell, navigator,
Lt Dean A. Upp, EWO
S/Sgt Helmut Christ, gunner,
A1c Francis B. Jones, maintenance specialist,
Lt Gary W. Sprague, navigator.

Crash of a Boeing B-52B-30-BO Stratofortress on Mt Taylor: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-0380
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Biggs - Biggs
MSN:
16859
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Ciudad Juarez' departed Biggs AAF on a training mission with two F-100A Super Sabre. After five simulated missile passes followed by tail-chase gun "attacks" van Scyoc, the 188th's Safety Officer, hauled his fighter round for a final Sidewinder practice. He was closing with the bomber when his No. 2 AIM-9B suddenly left its rail, homed on to the B-52's left inboard engine pod and exploded, severing the wing. The B52 went out of control and entered a dive. Three crew members were able to bail out before the airplane crashed on Mt Taylor and was destroyed, killing five other crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Donald C. Blodgett, pilot,
Cpt Ray C. Obel, copilot,
Cpt Peter J. Gineris, navigator, †
Cpt Stephen Carter, bombardier, †
Cpt George D. Jackson, ECM,
2nd Lt Glenn Bair, ECM student, †
S/Sgt Ray A. Singleton, gunner,
S/Sgt Manuel L. Mieras, maintenance controller.
More info on:
http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/images/Shootdown.html

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-125-BW Stratofortress in Silver Hill: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1961 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59-2576
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dow - Dow
MSN:
464339
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
Judy 24
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
233
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dow AFB for a training and refueling mission. At an altitude of 30,000 feet, while preparing to refuel with a USAF KC-125, the pilot-in-command reduce the speed too much, causing the airplane to stall and to enter a dive. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion near Silver Hill. Six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt William Donald McCullen, pilot, †
Cpt William Woody Farmer, copilot, †
Cpt Robert Marsh Morgenroth, radar navigator, †
Cpt George William Beale, observer, †
S/Sgt James Howard Fults, gunner instructor, †
A1C Robert Nathaniel Gaskey, gunner student, †
Maj Wilbur Fred Minnich, navigator,
1st Lt Glen Charles Farnham, EWO.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress near Yuba City

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1961 at 1103 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0166
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mather - Mather
MSN:
464155
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a sortie from Mather AFB, Sacramento. En route, the failure of the cabin pressurization system caused by a window crack forced the crew to make an emergency descent. The pilot informed ground about his situation and elected to divert to the nearest airport when all crew members decided to abandon the airplane that crashed in an uninhabited area located 15 miles west of Yuba City. The airplane was totally destroyed and all eight crew members were rescued, four of them were injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pressurization system caused by a window crack.

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-95-BW Stratofortress near Seymour Johnson AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1961 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
58-0187
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Seymour Johnson - Seymour Johnson
MSN:
464255
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
A fuel leak occurred in the right wing while cruising at high altitude. The crew decided to divert to Seymour Johnson AFB for a safe landing but on final, the right wing detached. The airplane crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 12 miles from the runway threshold. Three crew members were killed while five others were injured. The aircraft was carrying two Mark 39 thermonuclear bombs that were later recovered. In 2013, documents and information relating this story were declassified by the US Government.
Crew:
Maj Walter S. Tulloch, pilot,
Cpt Richard W. Hardin, copilot,
Maj Eugene Shelton, radio navigator, †
Cpt Paul E. Brown, navigator,
1st Lt William H. Wilson, Electronics Warfare Officer
Maj Eugene H. Richards, Electronics Warfare Instructor, †
1st Lt Adam C. Mattocks, pilot,
T/Sgt Francis R. Barnish, air gunner. †
Probable cause:
Fuel leak in flight.

Crash of a Boeing B-52B-35-BO Stratofortress in Monticello: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 19, 1961 at 1819 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-0390
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Biggs - Biggs
MSN:
16869
YOM:
1953
Flight number:
Felon 22
Location:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew departed Biggs AAF at 1715LT on a training flight. While overflying Utah at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the airplane encountered severe turbulences that affected its structure. In such conditions, all seven crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the B-52 dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Monticello, Utah. A crew member was killed while six others were rescued.
Crew:
Cpt John P. Marsh, pilot,
1st Lt Thomas A. Stout, copilot,
Cpt Harold S. Bonneville, radar navigator,
2nd Lt Jerome R. Calvert, navigator,
1st Lt Ivan G. Petty, electronic warfare officer,
T/Sgt David A. Forsythe, gunner,
S/Sgt Lionel A. Terry, flight engineer. †
Probable cause:
Severe turbulences at high altitude caused structural damages.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-60-BO Stratofortress at Larson AFB

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
55-0098
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Larson - Larson
MSN:
17214
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew left Larson AFB for a refueling mission over Montana. When the B-52 was supposed to be connected with a USAF KC-135, the probe struck the right wing of the B-52 that was pierced. The operation was cancelled and the crew returned to Larson AFB. Upon landing, the right wing failed and the aircraft crashed in flames. All 10 crew members evacuated safely while the aircraft was destroyed.