Athens

The pilot was cleared for a localizer approach by Atlanta Center and told to maintain 5,000 feet until crossing the final approach fix (FAF). Normal altitude at the FAF was 2,700 feet. The pilot was unable to land from this approach and performed a missed approach. He was handed off to Chattanooga Approach, then was cleared to cross the FAF at 3,000 feet and perform another localizer approach. About one mile from the FAF, the pilot was told to change to the airport advisory frequency. The pilot acknowledged, then there was no further communication with the aircraft. A short time later, witnesses heard the aircraft crash near the approach end of the runway. Examination of the crash site showed the aircraft had touched down in a grass area about 1,100 feet from the end of the runway, while on the localizer. Propeller slash marks showed both engines were operating at approach power and the aircraft was at approach speed. No evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction of the aircraft structure, flight controls, systems, engines, or propellers was found. The 0621 weather was in part: 300 feet overcast and 1/2 mile visibility with fog. Minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the localizer approach was 1,180 feet msl; airport elevation was 710 feet. The pilot had flown 8 flight hours, was on duty for 13.6 hours the day before the accident, was off duty for about 6 hrs, and had about 4 hours of sleep before the accident flight.

On approach to Athens-Ellinikon Airport, the crew encountered unknown technical problems and was forced to ditch the aircraft some 21 km off the Greek coast. All three occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft broke in two and sank.

En route from Athens to Jeddah on a delivery flight, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in a desert area in Egypt. SAR operations were quickly initiated but eventually abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the five occupants was found. On 6 March 1987, the wreckage was found about 100 km south of Katab.

En route from Athens to Larisa, the crew was informed by ATC that Larisa Airport was closed to traffic due to poor weather conditions and was rerouted to Kozani. While descending to Kozani Airport in poor weather conditions, at an altitude of 4,265 feet, the twin engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located about 25 km south of the airfield. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 50 occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the mountain was shrouded by clouds and the visibility was limited to 20 metres.

The C-141 departed Athens for a night-time flight to Madrid, the first leg of a flight back to McGuire AFB. The crew were cleared for an ILS approach to Torrejon's runway 23. Weather was reported as 20,000 foot overcast, with 10 NM visibility. During the descent the crew forgot to use the Descent Checklist. Thus, the crew had failed to set their altimeters from 29.92" to the local altimeter setting of 30.17". Additionally, they did not turn on the radar altimeter. While at FL60 the crew was given a clearance to a lower altitude. Because of heavy radio traffic, the clearance was garbled. They were not sure if the controller had cleared them down to 5000 or 3000 feet. They agreed that it must have been 3000 feet. They read back "three thousand feet", but the controller failed to notice the error. When reporting "passing 5000 for 3000" to another controller, the error again was not noticed. Nearing 3000 feet, the navigator noticed a hill ahead and above their altitude, but the pilot reassured him that "everything looks clear ahead", with the lights of the air base visible in the valley below. At an altitude of 3050 feet, at a speed of 250 kts, the airplane impacted terrain near the edge of a plateau, 40 km east of the Torrejón Air Force Base. It became airborne again, rolled over and disintegrated in a field. The navigator survived while 24 other occupants were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Clinton Clifford Corbin, pilot, †
Cpt Thomas R. Dietz, pilot, †
1st Lt William A. Kuhn, copilot, †
T/Sgt Edward Peter Babcock, flight engineer, †
T/Sgt Donald R. Wells, flight engineer, †
Maj Friedrich Hugo Lamers, navigator, †
1st Lt William Haskel Ray, navigator
T/Sgt Sidney Nathaniel Hillsman, load master. †
Passengers:
Cpl Edward Anthony Fanelli,
Lt Col Austin Frederick Balkman
Teresa Ann Wilcox
T2c Donald Lee Rhodes
Charles 'Chuck' Edward Hyatt
William Moore O'Connor
Cpl Sandra Rae Canton
Sgt Barry Gale Canton
Georgia Lord
Charles Edward Lord
Monteal Massey
Frank Bullard Massey
Janice Lynn Barron
Clifford Elbert Barron
Michael L. Merricks
Robert L. Holloway
Lt Chris Louis Katsetos.

On a night approach to Athens-McMinn County Airport, the pilot lost control of the aircraft that crashed in flames by the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

While descending to Athens-Hellinikon Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls, thunderstorm activity and turbulences. An activ thunderstorm area was located south of the airport so the crew started an ILS approach but modified his track to the northeast over the region of Keratea. While flying at an altitude of 2,000 feet with its undercarriage retracted, the four engine aircraft passed over the city of Keratea then struck the slope of Mt Paneio located about 20 km southeast of Hellinikon Airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and none of 90 occupants survived.

A failure of the electrical system in flight forced the pilot to reduce his altitude and to attempt an emergency landing. While cruising in the vicinity of Corinth, the pilot attempt to land in an open field when the airplane struck trees and crashed in flames. The pilot and a passenger were killed while two other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

En route from Athens to Naples, one of the engines suffered a runaway prop. 15 passengers and the radio operator bailed out over Botricello, intending to land at a nearby emergency field. They couldn't make the field and the pilots and the engineer put the plane down intact on the beach. The slanted beach caused them to veer into the surf and the aircraft ended up in about 10 feet of water. The crew was able to exit the astrodome hatch and swim to shore. Overnight the action of the tide destroyed the aircraft. The rumors that the aircraft was repaired, flown off the beach and put back in service are untrue.
Source: http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1953.html