Zone

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Dyess AFB: 19 killed

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1989 at 1210 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-7990
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dyess - Hickham
MSN:
18607
YOM:
1963
Location:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
19
Circumstances:
Shortly after liftoff from runway 16 at Dyess AFB, while climbing to a height of about 60-100 feet, the aircraft banked right, causing the right wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion and was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All 19 occupants were killed, among them army officer and family members including spouses and children.
Probable cause:
It is believed that vapor was coming out from an engine, maybe due to a technical problem on the water injection system.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Fort Hood: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 12, 1985
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
64-0549
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dyess AFB - Gray AAF
MSN:
4044
YOM:
1965
Location:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft was completing a training mission from Dyess AFB (Abilene) to the Gray AAF near Killeen, carrying eight crew members. En route, while flying at low height and dropping sand bags, the airplane went out of control and crashed near Fort Hood. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules near Aspermont: 5 killed

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1966
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
63-7886
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dyess - Dyess
MSN:
3957
YOM:
1964
Location:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a night training flight out from Dyess AFB, Abilene. In flight, control was lost and the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in an uninhabited area located in the region of Aspermont. A crew member was rescued while five others were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland L-20 Beaver in Boerne: 4 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1959
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Dyess - Fort Sam
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
En route from Dyess AFB to Fort Sam AFB in Houston, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with heavy rain falls and turbulences. Control was lost and the airplane crashed in Boerne, killing all four occupants.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-36-CU Commando at Dyess AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1959 at 1716 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N5140B
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Carswell - Dyess
MSN:
26809
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
AAX7002
Location:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
7294
Captain / Total hours on type:
3656.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
4839
Copilot / Total hours on type:
287
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed on runway 16 at Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas. The crash occurred while the pilots were attempting to land the aircraft with the elevator controls inoperative. The captain and copilot, the only persons aboard, were killed. The aircraft was demolished. Examination of the longitudinal control system of the aircraft disclosed that the aft end of the aft link assembly was disconnected from the clevis in the elevator control horn assembly. This condition would render the elevator control inoperative. From irrefutable physical evidence the Board concludes that the bolt which normally secures the link assembly-clevis attachment was not in place at impact. It concludes that the bolt worked out following departure from Dyess AFB, resulting in the loss of control which caused the accident. The Board further concludes that the bolt worked out because it was improperly secured, a condition which should have been detected during a No. 2 maintenance inspection completed just prior to the origination of Trip 7002. The inspection was performed by Associated Airmotive., Inc., a certificated repair station which performed under contract the maintenance work for AAXICO.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was loss of elevator control because of an improperly secured bolt, a condition which was undetected because of an inadequate inspection.
Final Report: