Elmendorf-Richardson AFB (JBER)

The crew was performing a flight from Kodiak to Elmendorf AFB, taking part to the 'Warmwind' exercice. En route, the airplane disappeared in unclear circumstances. As it failed to arrive in Elmendorf, extensive SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended a month later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 20 occupants was found.

While flying by night at an altitude of 11,000 feet, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt McKinley located in the Denali State Park. First rescuers arrived on the scene few hours later and all 19 occupants have been killed.

Flight 324 departed Elmendorf Air Force Base at 2111, January 18, with the same 40 passengers who had enplaned at Haneda Air Force Base, Tokyo. The aircraft had 2,600 gallons of fuel and 100 gallons of oil aboard. Gross weight at takeoff was 68,275 pounds (permissible 71,800), and the load was properly distributed with relation to the center of gravity. The flight climbed to the 10,000-foot assigned altitude and at 2213, shortly after passing Middleton Island, requested permission to descend to 8,000 feet. ARTC cleared the flight to descend and the new cruising altitude was reached at 2222. The trip was uneventful until opposite Sitka, Alaska, when the pilot reported, at 0003 (January 19), that No. 1 propeller had been feathered. In another radio transmission (0029), the pilot ascribed the trouble to a "broken" oil cooler, and advised that the flight was proceeding to Sandspit. In other transmissions, he requested weather forecasts for Annette, Sandspit, and Port Hardy. Following receipt of this information, which revealed that Annette weather was below minimums, he again advised that a precautionary landing would be made at Sandspit, and gave 0128 as the estimated time of arrival. The flight was cleared to that point and proceeded without further incident on three engines. The aircraft touched down at a point about one-third down the runway. After a short roll, power was applied at about the mid-point of the strip and the aircraft took off, barely clearing a low fence and driftwood which was approximately two feet high at the end of the runway. After it failed to reappear at the approach end of the landing strip, the Sandspit radio operator discovered from the shouting of survivors that the flight had crashed in Hecate Strait. The radio operator immediately sent notification messages to place Search and Rescue facilities in operation. The wreckage could not be seen because of limited visibility, In company with a Canadian customs official, he launched his small boat and effected the rescue of the seven survivors standing on and clinging to the right wing tip of the partially submerged aircraft. Following the alerting of Search and Rescue facilities, messages were relayed by Annette Flight Control to two other aircraft in the area. They attempted to light the area with flares and locate the wreckage, but were unsuccessful in their efforts.

While taking off at Cape Newenham Airfield, the aircraft suffered technical problems and crashed. It was damaged beyond repair while the pilot Herbert W. Kent survived.

Crashed in unknown circumstances ten miles northwest of Talkeetna while on a flight from Elmendorf AFB to Fort Wainwright (Ladd Army Airfield) in Fairbanks. A crew member was killed while six others were injured. The wreckage was removed by Champaign Aviation Museum in July 2011 for use on 44-85813 restoration.

While descending to Elmendorf AFB, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Susitna (4,200 feet high) and located about 34 miles northwest of Anchorage. All five crew members were killed.

While in cruising altitude about 98 miles northwest of Juneau, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of Mt La Pérouse (10,740 feet high). The wreckage was found about 1,000 feet below the summit and all six occupants were killed.

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Elmendorf AFB, killing all nine crew members.

The descent to Elmendorf AFB was started by night and low visibility. As the aircraft was too low, it hit the slope of Mt Chugach located 8 miles southeast of its intended destination. The passenger and a crewman were rescued while five others were killed.

Enroute from Elmendorf AFB to Adak Island NAS, the aircraft hit a snow covered mountain located in the Cathedral Valley, west off the Mt Pavlof Volcano, some 32 miles northeast of Cold Bay. Both passengers and a crew member were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph R. Alexander, pilot,
2nd Lt Richard L. Cocanour, copilot,
Sgt Paul Sundermier, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert E. Davidson, radio operator. †
Passengers:
Lt Col Stephen G. Davison, †
2nd Lt Ernest T. Johnson. †