Crash of a Lockheed L-382E-27C Hercules near San Juan

Date & Time: Apr 24, 1981
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
FAP396
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
4450
YOM:
1972
Country:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
En route, the crew was forced to attempt an emergency landing due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane crash landed in an open field and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.
Probable cause:
Forced landing attempted due to fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Lockheed MC-130EY-1 Hercules off Tabones Islands: 23 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 1981 at 0525 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
64-0564
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cubi Point - Cubi Point
MSN:
4074
YOM:
1965
Flight number:
Stray 59
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
23
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Cubi Point NAS at 0428LT on an exercise over the South China Sea under call sign Stray 59, carrying members of the USAF as well as military personnel from Australia, Philippines and New Zealand. At 0525LT, while cruising at very low height, the airplane apparently hit the water and crashed off Tabones Islands. A crew member was rescued while 23 other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules at Ramstein AFB: 9 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1981 at 0920 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
69-6581
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Ramstein - Oslo
MSN:
4357
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Ramstein AFB, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane stalled and crashed on an ammunition depot, bursting into flames. All nine occupants were killed. It was reported that the aircraft nosed up and the tail stalled.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Caracas: 11 killed

Date & Time: Nov 4, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
3556
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Caracas - Caracas
MSN:
4406
YOM:
1971
Country:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Caracas-Maiquetía-Simón Bolívar Airport. After takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane lost height and crashed onto several houses located near the airfield. The aircraft and five houses were destroyed. All six occupants as well as five people on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control during initial climb caused by an engine failure for undetermined reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed YMC-130H Hercules in Wagner Field

Date & Time: Oct 29, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
74-1683
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Wagner Field - Wagner Field
MSN:
4658
YOM:
1976
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
This aircraft was delivered on 17 October to TAB1 at Wagner Field, a disused auxiliary airfield at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Between 19 October and 28 October, numerous flights were made testing various aspects, including the double-slotted flaps system, which enabled the C-130 to fly at 85 knots on final approach at a very steep eight-degree glide slope. All aspects worked flawlessly, and a full profile test was scheduled for 29 October. The test's takeoff phase was executed flawlessly, setting a number of short takeoff records. The Lockheed test crew then assessed that the computer used to command the firing of the rockets during the landing sequence needed further calibration, and elected to manually input commands. The reverse-mounted (forward-facing) eight ASROC rockets for decelerating the aircraft's forward speed were situated in pairs on the fuselage's upper curvature behind the cockpit, and at the midpoint of each side of the fuselage beneath the uppers. Testing had determined that the upper pairs, fired sequentially, could be ignited while still airborne (specifically, at 20 feet), but that the lower pairs could only be fired after the aircraft was on the ground, with the descent-braking rockets also firing during the sequence. The flight engineer, blinded by the firing of the upper deceleration rockets, thought the aircraft was on the runway and fired the lower set early. The descent-braking rockets did not fire at all. Later unofficial disclaimers allegedly made by some of the Lockheed test crew's members asserted that the lower rockets fired themselves through an undetermined computer or electrical malfunction, which at the same time failed to fire the descent-braking rockets. As a result, the aircraft's forward flight was immediately reduced to nearly zero, dropping it hard to the runway and breaking the starboard wing between the third and fourth engines. During rollout, the trailing wing ignited a fire, but a medical evacuation helicopter dispersed the flame and crash response teams extinguished the fire within eight seconds of the aircraft stopping, enabling the crew to exit the aircraft safely. 74-1683 was dismantled and buried on-site for security reasons, but most of its unique systems were salvaged.

Crash of a Lockheed CC-130E Hercules near Chapais: 8 killed

Date & Time: Oct 15, 1980 at 1445 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
130312
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Trenton - Trenton
MSN:
4061
YOM:
1965
Location:
Country:
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was dispatched out from Trenton on a SAR operation for a missing helicopter. While flying at low height, the four engine airplane crashed in a wooded area located about 13 km west of Chapais. Eight crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured.
Crew:
Cpt Dave Salmons, pilot, †
Cpt Ron Kavanagh, †
M/Cpl Allan Woodham, †
Sgt J. R. O'Neill, †
Cpl R. W. Fisher, †
Cpl R. J. Cocks, †
Cpl R. J. Taylor, †
Pvt W. D. Minnis, †
Cpt Dahl Manthorpe,
Mst W/O Bing Crosby.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules in McMinnville: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
56-0504
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
3112
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a low level training flight when the airplane crashed in a field near McMinnville. All four crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Loss of control caused by the loss of the left wing leading edge.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Madinah: 89 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1980 at 0005 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
453
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
MSN:
4128
YOM:
1966
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
81
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
89
Circumstances:
Following a night takeoff at Madinah-Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport, while climbing, one of the engine caught fire and exploded. The crew was unable to attempt an emergency landing and the airplane crashed in flames in a desert area located near the airport. All 89 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine fire and explosion on takeoff for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules in Kindu: 36 killed

Date & Time: Sep 14, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9T-TCE
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Kindu - Kinshasa
MSN:
4569
YOM:
1975
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
31
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
36
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Kindu, while in initial climb, the airplane suffered an engine failure. It lost height and crashed near the airport. All 36 occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure during initial climb for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382E-16C Hercules in Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès: 8 killed

Date & Time: Sep 5, 1980 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
KAF317
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
London - Athens - Kuwait City
MSN:
4350
YOM:
1969
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed London on a flight to Kuwait City with an intermediate stop in Athens. While cruising vertical to Montélimar, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with thunderstorm activity and turbulences. Control was lost and the airplane entered a dive before crashing on a hill located near Saint-Vincent-de-Barrès, about 12 km northwest of Montélimar. Debris were found on a wide area and all eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of in-flight turbulences while cruising in a thunderstorm area. The assumption that the aircraft may have been struck by lightning was not ruled out. Severe turbulences also may cause the aircraft to suffer a structural failure.