Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Chiraz

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5-112
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
MSN:
4154
YOM:
1966
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission consisting of a takeoff with two engine inoperative. The accident occurred during takeoff in unclear circumstances. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Grumman S-2F Tracker off Syracuse: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1969 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
MM133073
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sigonella - Sigonella
MSN:
44
YOM:
1957
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew departed Sigonella Airbase for a local training mission when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea southeast of Syracuse. Both crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Claudio Martinelli,
Lt Rino Meini.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130K Hercules at RAF Fairford: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 24, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XV180
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Fairford - Fairford
MSN:
4196
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training mission out from RAF Fairford. During initial climb, the captain ordered the copilot under supervision to shut down the engine n°4 and to feather its propeller. For unknown reason, the copilot inadvertently activated the reverse thrust system, causing asymmetric thrust. The airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in an open field, killing all six occupants.

Crash of a Grumman S-2F Tracker off Ko Samet Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Mar 16, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
420
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
329
YOM:
1957
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
While completing a local training mission, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea off Ko Samet Island. All four crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-75-LO Orion at Lemoore-Reeves Field AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
152765
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Lemoore - Lemoore
MSN:
185-5210
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
The P-3 Orion aircraft was on a practice GCA approach to Lemoore-NAS/Reeves Field, CA (NLC). The aircraft nosed down at the approach end of the runway then flared nose high with an excessive sink rate. It touched down on the port main landing gear, then the starboard main landing gear, followed by the fuselage section just forward of the mad boom striking the runway. The port wing broke inboard of the #2 engine on or shortly after touchdown and separated from the fuselage. The fuselage slid down the runway and came to rest off the left side of the runway approximately 1100 feet from the approach end. The port wing continued approximately 300 feet beyond the fuselage. Both parts were engulfed in flame. All six occupants were killed.
Source: ASN
Probable cause:
The power levers were at the flight idle position at impact. Investigation concluded that an attempt was made to decrease the sink rate by establishing a nose high attitude prior to impact and the aircraft was in a stalled or near stalled condition with minimum power set.

Crash of a Lockheed SP-2E Neptune near El Toro MCAS: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 11, 1969 at 2023 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
131487
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
El Toro - El Toro
MSN:
426-5368
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at El Toro MCAS. On approach by night, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the right wing struck the top of ridge. The airplane crashed in the Harding Canyon located 7 miles northwest of the airbase. All seven crew members were killed.

Crash of a Max Holste M.H.1521M Broussard near Chenevières-Saint-Clément AFB

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
172/F-UHTB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Schedule:
Chenevières-Saint-Clément - Chenevières-Saint-Clément
MSN:
223
YOM:
1959
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While completing a local training flight at Chenevières-Saint-Clément AFB, the single engine aircraft crashed in the Mondon forest located north of the airbase. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Grumman P-16A Tracker off Ilha Grande: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jan 28, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
7022
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Rio de Janeiro - Rio de Janeiro
MSN:
751
YOM:
1958
Country:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Few minutes after its takeoff from Rio de Janeiro-Galeão Airport, the twin engine airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea some 30 km off Ilha Grande. All four crew members were killed, among them Lt Luís Gonzaga Villas Boas, pilot, and 2nd Lt José Roberto Mendes Pereira da Ponte, copilot.

Crash of a Lockheed EC-121 Super Constellation at Otis AFB

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1969
Operator:
Registration:
67-21476
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Otis - Otis
MSN:
4441
YOM:
1956
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a training mission at Otis AFB. After landing, the four engine aircraft went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Boeing B-52H-175-BW Stratofortress at Minot AFB: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 21, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
61-0037
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Minot - Minot
MSN:
464464
YOM:
1960
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Minot AFB, while climbing to a height of 200-300 feet, the airplane stalled then crashed in a huge explosion in a field located about a mile away from the airbase. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Byron D. Edmonds, pilot,
1st Lt Kenneth A. Kuhn, copilot,
Cpt Gerald J. Walla, navigator,
Cpt James C. Jiles, radar navigator,
Cpt Richard L. Jones, EWO,
T/Sgt Lee A. Gunn, gunner.
Probable cause:
Incorrect trim selection caused the aircraft to pitch up and down then to stall and crash.