Japan Sea

Crashed in unknown circumstances in the Japan Sea, killing all 12 crew members.

The twin engine airplane was engaged in a joint exercise with the US Navy over the Japan Sea when it crashed in unknown circumstances. All four crew members were killed.

While in cruising altitude on a maritime patrol flight over the Sea of Japan, the four engine aircraft was shot down by two North Korea Air Force MiG-17. Out of control, it entered a dive and crashed into the sea some 145 km off the city of Chongjin. Few debris and two dead bodies were found floating on water and none of the 31 occupants survived the crash.
Crew:
ADR2 Louis F. Balderman,
AT1 Stephen C. Chartier,
AT1 Bernie J. Colgin,
ADR1 Ballard F. Connors Jr.,
CT3 Gary R. DuCharme,
LT John N. Dzema,
LT Dennis B. Gleason,
ATN3 Gene K. Graham,
AEC LaVerne A. Greiner,
ATR2 Dennis J. Horrigan,
ATN2 Richard H. Kincaid,
S/Sgt Hugh M. Lynch,
ADRC Marshall H. McNamara,
ATR2 Timothy H. McNeil,
CT3 John A. Miller,
LCDR James H. Overstreet,
Lt Peter P. Perrottey,
CT1 John H. Potts,
AMS3 Richard T. Prindle,
CTC Frederick A. Randall,
LTJG Joseph R. Ribar,
AT1 James Leroy Roach,
LT John H. Singer,
CTC Richard E. Smith,
CT3 Philip D. Sundby,
AT1 Richard E. Sweeney,
LTJG Robert J. Sykora,
LT Robert F. Taylor,
CT2 Stephen J. Tesmer,
LTJG Norman E. Wilkerson,
ATN3 David M. Willis.

The crew was engaged in a weather mission for typhoon 'Emma' but failed to return to his base at Yokota AFB. The exact circumstances of the accident remains unknown and all 16 crew members have been killed.

The Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune was shot down by Soviet fighter airplanes. The aircraft operated on a routine patrol mission over the Sea of Japan. At 1758LT while the airplane was flying on a course of 090 degrees magnetic, over the high seas of the Sea of Japan, its position was approximately 41 degrees 51 minutes north and 132 degrees 47 minutes east. At 1807LT, the course was changed to 067 degrees magnetic. The ground speed of the aircraft at the time continued at approximately 180 knots and its altitude was approximately 8,000 feet. The course of 067 degrees had been continued for approximately five minutes, when at least two Soviet MiG fighter aircraft came up behind the Neptune aircraft, and opened fire. The pilot of the Neptune turned sharply to the right and went simultaneously into a steep dive at a rate of descent of approximately 2,000 to 3,000 feet per minute, attempting to fly farther and farther away from the Soviet land mass and seeking the protective cover of a cloud bank approximately ten miles farther away. The MiG aircraft again opened fire. The Neptune continued its steep dive and made evasive maneuvers to the right and left. The left wing was hit and a fire erupted. The fire continued to spread quickly through the wing to the fuselage, and when the Neptune had reached an altitude of 400 feet over water, the pilot determined that it was necessary to abandon the aircraft in the. The Neptune was landed on the sea and came to a complete stop within 50 to 70 yards after the initial impact. Of the ten members of the crew on board the Neptune aircraft, nine succeeded in making their way out of the aircraft to the surface of the sea and entered a survival raft which had been carried aboard. The United States claimed that the point of the first attack was over the high seas to the southeast of Cape Ostrovnoi, in the neighborhood of 42 degrees 22 minutes north and 134 degrees and 11 minutes east, or further to the south and east of that position, approximately 33 to 40 nautical miles from Soviet territory. All survivors were rescued by the crew of a USN SA-16 Albatross.
Crew:
Roger H. Reid, †
John B. Wayne,
John C. Fischer,
William A. Bedard,
Frank E. Petty,
Anthony P. Granera,
Texas R. Stone,
Paul R. Mulmollem,
Ernest L. Pinkevich,
David A. Atwell.

While completing a maritime patrol flight over the Japan Sea, the crew encountered problem with an engine that caught fire in flight. The pilot-in-command elected to ditch the aircraft that eventually crashed into the sea about 160 km off Wonsan, North Korea. Ten crew members were killed while four others were rescued.
Crew:
Lt Dale Anderson, †
Lt Wayne Eugene Bancroft, †
Ens Donald E. McKinney,
Ad1 George E. Haigh Jr., †
Al2 John A. James, †
Ac2 Rufus L. Mounce, †
Al3 Robert L. Newman, †
Ad3 Joseph O. Smith,
Ad3 Robert W. Stapleton,
At3 Max E. Studer,
Am3 William D. Wynn, †
AN Ernest N. Franklin, †
Aoan Frederick C. Lynch, †
Aoan Clinton B. Macklin. †

An engine failed en route, forcing the crew to ditch the aircraft into the Japan Sea, off the South Korean coast. All occupants were evacuated safely while the airplane sank and was lost.

The aircraft was engaged in a night maritime patrol flight over the Japan Sea, and was attached to the USS Essex. En route, a propeller fell away from an engine and the crew decided to reduce his altitude and to ditch the aircraft about 165 km east of the North Korean coast (39°05'N - 130°11'E). The aircraft sank and was lost, five crew members were rescued while two others, R. J. Perkinson and K. K. Hathorn, were killed.

While performing a maritime patrol flight over the Japan Sea, the aircraft was shot down by several Soviet Lavochkin La-11 and crashed into the sea. All 10 crew members were killed. According to US Authorities, the aircraft was flying over the international waters when it was shot down. On their side, Soviet Authorities reported the aircraft was flying illegally over Vladivostok, was shot down and crashed about 30 km off the city.

The crew was completing a leaflet mission when he encountered technical problems with the engine. The pilot elected to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the Japan Sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 crew members was found.