Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

The aircraft suffered a fuel exhaustion in flight, so all crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed about 10 km north of Sidi Slimane. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Boeing KC-97G-25-BO Stratotanker near Norton AFB: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jun 27, 1954 at 0308 LT

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

52-2654

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Altus – March

MSN:

16685

YOM:

1952

Location:

Norton AFB (San Bernardino)

California

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a flight from Altus, Oklahoma, to the March AFB located southeast of Riverside, California. While approaching March AFB, the crew was informed by ATC about poor weather at destination and was then vectored to Norton AFB in San Bernardino. While cruising by night at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Box Springs located between the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 14 occupants were killed.