Date & Time:
Mar 27, 1958 at 1615 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
49-0195
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Sheppard - Carswell
MSN:
10432
YOM:
1949
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
En route from Sheppard AFB to Carswell AFB, while cruising at an altitude of 6,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft collided with a USAF Douglas C-124 Globemaster II. Registered 52-0981, the C-124 was en route from Kelly AFB to Tinker AFB with 15 people on board. Following the collision, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Bridgeport. All 18 occupants on both aircraft were killed.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision was the result of an error on part of the C-119's crew who failed to respect the instructions transmitted by ATC, asking them to fly at an altitude of 7,000 feet. For undetermined reason, the crew continue his route at the insufficient altitude of 6,000 feet, crossing the track of the C-124 which was flying at the same level. Low visibility caused by poor weather conditions was considered as a contributing factor.
