Crash of a Lockheed P-2V Neptune near Missoula: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 29, 1994 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
N918AP
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Missoula - Missoula
MSN:
726-7186
YOM:
1958
Flight number:
Tanker 04
Location:
Missoula
Montana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Missoula on a fire fighting mission under callsign Tanker 04. The crew apparently became fixated on the malfunction of the retardant-release doors and did not realize the tanker was entering a narrow box canyon when it struck the slope of Mt Squaw located about 20 miles northwest of Missoula Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune near Dixon: 2 killed

Date & Time: Feb 8, 1992 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
N70600
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Tucson - Greybull
MSN:
726-7227
YOM:
1958
Location:
Dixon
Wyoming
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
180.00
Aircraft flight hours:
8401
Circumstances:
The flight had departed Tucson, AZ, on a special VFR ferry flight to Greybull, WY. The airplane was not instrumented for IFR flight. When the flight reported over Winslow, it was advised that VFR flight was not recommended northbound from its present position. Surface weather conditions in southcentral wyoming/northwestern Colorado at the time of the accident were consistent with low ceilings, clouds and snow as reported by witnesses and surface weather observations. The witnesses, located near the Dixon Airport, reported hearing a low flying aircraft travelling west to east, and another witness northeast of the arpt heard an aircraft 'revving' its engines. Radar data shows the aircraft tracking northbound slightly east of the Dixon airport, and executing a clockwise 360° turn northeast of the airport and in the vicinity of one of the witnesses. The last radar target received placed the aircraft approximately one mile north-northeast of the accident site. The aircraft impacted snow covered terrain in a steep nose-down attitude. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in a loss of control due to the lack of aircraft attitude indicators and resultant pilot spatial disorientation. A factor which contributed to the accident was the weather condition(s).
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune near Lake Wynoochee: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 29, 1990 at 1359 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Black Hills Aviation
Registration:
N65170
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
MSN:
826-8025
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
Tanker 08
Location:
Wynoochee Lake
Washington
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A Cessna 172N registered N738AQ crashed in the Olympic National Forest earlier that day and a fire erupted. The crew was dispatched in the region of Lake Wynoochee to proceed in a fire fighting mission. After the retardant was dropped, the crew initiated a climb when control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located near the Wynoochee Dam. Both pilots were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune in the White Sands Missile Range: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 10, 1987 at 1530 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Black Hills Aviation
Registration:
N96271
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
MSN:
426-5315
YOM:
1954
Location:
White Sands Missile Range
New Mexico
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on September 10, 1987, the Army called Black Hills Aviation to suppress a fire started by a FAADS missile. The missile was fired more than two hours before the crash. A P2V aircraft, Forest Service Number N96271 ["Tanker 07"], owned by Black Hills, was dispatched in response to the request for aerial fire suppression. Tanker 07 was piloted by Nathan Kolb and co-piloted by Woodard Miller, employees of Black Hills Aviation who were not Department of Defense personnel. Tanker 07 obtained authorization to enter the missile range's airspace from the missile range air controller. During the flight, Tanker 07 crashed on the missile range and both pilots were killed. The crash site was located approximately fifteen miles into the interior of the missile range, and was inside the testing site for the FAADS Project.
Probable cause:
Following the crash, an attorney from the Army Judge Advocate General's [JAG] Office at the missile range ordered markers to be placed at the crash site, and aerial photographs were taken. At that time, the Army JAG Officer anticipated litigation regarding the crash. Personnel at the missile range contacted the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] and the Army Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, and inquired whether either of these entities wished to investigate the crash. The NTSB replied that it was not interested in investigating, but would do so if specifically requested to do so by the missile range. Neither entity actually investigated the crash. Colonel Gary Epperson of the missile range was appointed to conduct an Army Regulation 15-6 Collateral Investigation into the facts and circumstances of the crash. The scope of the AR 15-6 investigation encompassed only the activities of the Army in regard to the crash of Tanker 07, and did not seek to determine the precise cause of the crash. Colonel Epperson's investigation consisted of viewing the crash scene, meeting with eyewitnesses to the crash, and asking for written statements.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5FS Neptune on Mt Barnard: 11 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 1976 at 1245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
0644
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Geographical / Geophysical / Scientific
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rio Grande - Rio Grande
MSN:
426-5416
Location:
Mt Barnard (Livingston Island)
All Antarctica
Country:
Antarctica
Region:
Antarctica
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The crew departed Río Grande-Almirante Hermes José Quijada Airport in the morning on a glaciology exploration mission over Antarctica. While flying in relative good weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Barnard located on the Livingston Island. Communication was lost with the crew at 1245LT and SAR operations were immediately initiated. The wreckage was located eight days later, on September 25. All 11 occupants were killed. The aircraft had a dual registration 0644 and 2-P-103.
Crew:
Lt Miguel Berraz, pilot,
Cpt Arnaldo Mutto, copilot,
Lt Claudio Cabut,
Lt Romualdo Migliardo, flight engineer,
2nd Lt Nelson Villagra,
Cpl Jesus Arroyo,
Sgt Juan Noto,
Cpl Benjamin Scesa, radio operator,
Cpl Omar Campastri,
Sgt Remberto Brizuela.
Passenger:
Rodolfo Rivarola, Director of Canal 13 Television in Río Grande.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune off Iwo Jima: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
4662
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
226-2046
Location:
Iwo Jima
All Japan
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While conducting a maritime patrol flight, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean off the Iwo Jima Island. The crew was unable to send any distress call and all SAR operations were abandoned after few days as no trace of the airplane nor the eight crew members was found.

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune at South Weymouth NAS

Date & Time: Apr 2, 1973
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
141250
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
726-7122
Location:
South Weymouth NAS
Massachusetts
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Suffered an accident at South Weymouth NAS. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune near Kanoya AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
4650
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Kanoya - Kanoya
MSN:
226-2034
Location:
Kanoya AFB
Kyūshū
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to Kanoya AFB following a maritime patrol flight. On approach, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located 8 km short of runway. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune off Roosevelt Roads NAS

Date & Time: Jul 17, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
148354
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
726-7242
YOM:
1958
Location:
Roosevelt Roads NAS (Ceiba)
All Puerto Rico
Country:
Puerto Rico
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune off Chōshi: 11 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 1971
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
4651
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
226-2035
Location:
Chōshi
Kantō
Country:
Japan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
11
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
While conducting a maritime patrol flight, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean off the city of Chōshi. All 11 occupants were killed.
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