Kadena AFB

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

MSN:

3124

YOM:

1957

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Shortly after takeoff from Kadena AFB, while en route to Vietnam, the crew informed ground that two engines failed and was initiating a return. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the ocean some 24 km southeast of Kadena AFB. All 11 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure during climb-out for undetermined reason.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-65-BO Stratofortress at Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Dec 3, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

55-0115

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Schedule:

Kadena - Kadena

MSN:

17231

YOM:

1955

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Circumstances:

After touchdown at Kadena AFB, the crew encountered difficulties to stop within the remaining distance. The aircraft overran and came to rest in flames. All seven crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52D-60-BO Stratofortress at Kadena AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Nov 18, 1968 at 0408 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

55-0103

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Bombing

Survivors:

Site:

Landing (descent or approach)

MSN:

17218

YOM:

1955

Flight number:

Cream 2

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Circumstances:

The crew departed Kadena AFB, Okinawa, on a flight to Vietnam under callsign Cream 2. During the takeoff roll on runway 05L, the captain decided to abort the takeoff procedure for unknown reason. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, traveled down a grass embankment, hit a large ditch and came to rest on Kadena AB inner perimeter road, sitting on top of an air force police pick-up truck. The wings were torn loose releasing fuel from the wing tanks. Fires started from ruptured hydraulic lines, fuel flowing over hot brakes, and from electrical malfunctions. The aircraft was a total loss and all seven crew members were rescued. Two of them, seriously injured, died on November 26 and November 28.
Crew:
Cpt William 'Billy' Dilworth, pilot,
Cpt Gary B. Sible, navigator,
Alex Damellio, radar navigator,
Cpt Charles David Miller, EWO, †
Austin J. Decker II, EWO,
Al Aroney, tail gunner,
S/Sgt Jerry Nixon Scott, crew chief mechanic. †

Crash of a Lockheed C-130A Hercules at Bunard Camp

Date & Time: Apr 16, 1968

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

56-0480

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance

Schedule:

Kadena - Bunard Camp

MSN:

3088

YOM:

1957

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Circumstances:

The crew was completing a flight from Kadena to Bunard Camp located 80 km north of Biên Hòa. On short final, the aircraft encountered turbulences caused by the rotor of a USAF helicopter and control was lost. The airplane landed hard and came to rest. All five crew members were unhurt but the aircraft was considered as damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Heavy landing caused by rotor turbulences.

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:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-133 Cargomaster

Schedule:

Kadena - Kadena

MSN:

185-5063

YOM:

1963

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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 Douglas C-133B-DL Cargomaster off Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Apr 30, 1967

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

59-0534

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kadena - Midway

MSN:

45585

YOM:

1959

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Circumstances:

Few minutes after takeoff from Kadena AFB in Okinawa, while climbing to an altitude of 12,450 feet, the engine number four began to malfunction and was shut down by the crew who also feathered the propeller. The crew was cleared to return to Kadena for an emergency landing. On final approach, while at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the three remaining engines failed simultaneously. The captain decided to ditch the airplane into the sea, about 5 km offshore. The airplane broke in two and partially sank while all nine crew members were rescued.

Probable cause:

Failure of the propeller control and propeller power circuit on approach, causing the engine to flameout.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules off Phú Hiệp: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jun 17, 1966

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

63-7785

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Schedule:

Cam Ranh Bay – Kadena

MSN:

3852

YOM:

1963

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Circumstances:

The four engine aircraft was on its way from Cam Ranh Bay to Kadena AFB, Okinawa, carrying a crew of eight. While cruising along the Vietnam shore, about 72 km northeast of Nha Trang, the airplane suffered an in-flight explosion and crashed into the sea off Phú Hiệp. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Cdr Ralph Burton Cobbs,
Lt Donald Edwin Siegwarth,
Lt Clement Olin Stevenson,
Lt Edward Leon Romig,
AN M. J. Savoy,
YN2 Jack Ishum Dempsey,
ADJ2 Curtis David Collette,
ADR2 Stanley Jon Freng.

Probable cause:

It was suspected that the airplane had been sabotaged by Vietnamese communist sympathizers who worked at the base.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Kadena AFB: 12 killed

Date & Time: May 18, 1966 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

57-1444

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Douglas C-133 Cargomaster

Schedule:

Kadena - Yokota

MSN:

17515

YOM:

1958

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Aircraft flight hours:

3387

Circumstances:

The aircraft was engaged in a special flight from Kadena AFB to Yokota AFB, carrying a spare engine to repair another KC-135 grounded at Yokota Airbase. During the takeoff roll, after a course of 2,100 meters, the crew started the rotation when the airplane stalled and struck the runway surface before taking off again. Once it reached the height of 100 feet, it stalled again and crashed in a huge explosion 100 meters to the left of the extended centerline and about 150 meters past the runway end. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed as well as one motorist on the ground.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the total weight of the aircraft was high at the time of the accident and the pilot-in-command started the rotation prematurely, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash due to an insufficient takeoff speed.

Crash of a Douglas C-133A-5-DL Cargomaster off Wake Island: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1965

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

54-0140

Flight Phase:

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