Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-60-LO Orion on Jebel Musa: 14 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152182
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Rota - Souda Bay
MSN:
185-5152
YOM:
1965
Location:
Jebel Musa
Tangier-Tétouan
Country:
Morocco
Region:
Africa
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
About an hour after its departure from Rota NAS, Spain, while cruising at an altitude of 800 meters in marginal weather conditions, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of Jebel Musa (851 meters high) located near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The aircraft was destroyed and all 14 occupants have been killed. Attached to Brunswick Air Base, Maine, the airplane was completing a routine flight from Rota NAS to Souday BAY AFB, Chania, Greece.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-50-LO Orion into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1972
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152155
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Moffett - Moffett
MSN:
185-5125
YOM:
1965
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
While engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the eight occupants was found.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-50-LO Orion off Cubi Point NAS: 1 killed

Date & Time: Dec 5, 1971 at 0710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152151
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Cubi Point - Cubi Point
MSN:
185-5121
YOM:
1965
Location:
Subic Bay, Olongapo (Cubi Point NAS)
Bataan
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Cubi Point NAS, while in initial climb, both engines n°2 & 3 exploded. Both electric and hydraulic systems failed and the captain elected to ditch the airplane that crashed into the sea few dozen yards offshore. Fifteen occupants were rescued while Ensign Ed Cooper was killed.
Probable cause:
The airplane's water-alcohol injection system was accidentally serviced with water and cleaning solvent by the ground crew. This caused the turbine inlet temperature to increase immediately after liftoff.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-55-LO Orion near Searchlight: 10 killed

Date & Time: Aug 3, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152159
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Nellis – North Island – Barbers Point
MSN:
185-5129
YOM:
1965
Location:
Searchlight
Nevada
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nellis AFB in Las Vegas on a flight to Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii, with an intermediate stop at North Island-Halsey Field NAS in San Diego. Few minutes after takeoff, the airplane went through a thunderstorm area and encountered heavy turbulences. The pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive, partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a desert area located 10 miles northwest of Searchlight, Nevada. The airplane was totally destroyed and debris scattered on more that half a mile. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (VP-17):
Lt Timothy D. Bailing,
Lt Norman L. Johnson,
Ltjg Henry J. McGreevey,
Adj1 Ambrose Ordonia,
Adj1 Johnny D. Shelton,
Atn3 Cletus L. Morrison,
Aw3 John D. Maas,
Aw3 John W. Schmitz,
Aw3 Michael A. Silvers,
Aw3 Bruce E. Weaver.
Probable cause:
The Navy concluded that the aircraft was struck by lightning, but Lockheed determined that the breakup of the aircraft in flight was caused by structural overloading of the right wing from a positive high angle of attack condition. Lockheed concluded that it was the uncontrollable flight and the resultant stresses that caused the aircraft to disintegrate in flight.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-40-LO Orion in Adak

Date & Time: Jun 3, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
151363
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Adak - Jacksonville
MSN:
185-5076
YOM:
1964
Location:
Adak
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll at Adak Airport, the pilot-in-command pull the control column and started to rotate when the copilot reported a technical problem (smoke hatch blew open). The crew decided to abort the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking manoeuvre. Few seconds later, the airplane veered off runway to the left and struck an obstacle, causing the right wing to be torn off. The airplane came to rest in flames down an embankment. All eight crew members escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was destroyed.

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

Date & Time: Mar 6, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152765
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Lemoore - Lemoore
MSN:
185-5210
YOM:
1966
Location:
Lemoore-Reeves Field AFB
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
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 P-3B-95-LO Orion at Moffett AFB

Date & Time: Apr 11, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
A9-296
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Moffett - Moffett
MSN:
5406
YOM:
1968
Location:
Moffett AFB
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local test flight on this new aircraft which should be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force. Upon landing, one of the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest in flames. While all four crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed upon landing.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3A-35-LO Orion into the Pacific Ocean: 8 killed

Date & Time: Apr 5, 1968 at 0310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
151350
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Kadena - Kadena
MSN:
185-5063
YOM:
1963
Location:
Pacific Ocean
All World
Country:
World
Region:
World
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kadena AFB on a night patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean. While cruising at low height in a flat attitude some 320 km east of Okinawa, the aircraft struck the water surface, crashed and broke in three pieces that sank by a depth of 1,600 meters. Four crew members were found alive while eight others were killed.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed the accident may have been caused by an accidental disconnection of the automatic pilot system.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-90-LO Orion off Đảo Phú Quốc Island: 12 killed

Date & Time: Apr 1, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
153445
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
185-5241
YOM:
1967
Location:
Phú Quốc Island
Kiên Giang Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
While cruising over the Gulf of Thailand on a maritime patrol flight at the border between Thailand and South Vietnam, the airplane was hit by enemy fire and the right wing caught fire. The crew informed ground about his situation and elected to divert to the nearest airport when the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea off Đảo Phú Quốc Island. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt(jg) Frank E. Hand,
Lt(jg) Stuart L. McLellan,
Lt(jg) Brian J. Mathison,
Lt(jg) Michael J. Purcell,
AME2 Donald W. Burnside,
ATI Kenneth L. Crist,
A02 William S. Cutting,
AXC Donald E. Kulacz,
AX3 Delmar L. Lawrence,
AE1 Donald F. Wood,
ADJ2 Edward O. Wynder,
AX1 Alvin G. Yoximer.
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Lockheed P-3B-85-LO Orion off Phú Quốc Island: 12 killed

Date & Time: Feb 6, 1968 at 0315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
153440
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
U-Tapao - U-Tapao
MSN:
185-5237
YOM:
1967
Location:
Phú Quốc Island
Kiên Giang Province
Country:
Vietnam
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
12
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed U-Tapao Airbase in Thailand in the evening of February 5 for a 24-hour patrol flight over the Gulf of Thailand. Around 0300LT, the crew informed ground about his position and this was the last radio transmission as the airplane disappeared few minutes later and crashed into the sea off Phú Quốc Island. Some debris and two bodies were found 10 days later and all 12 occupants have been killed.
Crew:
Lt Cdr Robert F. Meglio,
Lt(jg) Thomas Paul Jones,
Lt(jg) Lynn Michael Travis,
Lt(jg) Roy Arthur Huss,
AXC Donald Frederick Burnett,
A0C Donald Louis Gallagher,
AMH2 Homer Eugene McKay,
ADR1 James Clifford Newman,
AE1 Melvin Carl Thompson,
ADJ2 Billy W. McGhee,
AX3 Armando Chapa,
AX3 William Farrell Farris.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined. However, it is believed that the loss of control was the result of problems with the autopilot system.
Subscribe to Lockheed P-3 Orion