Zone
Crash of a Lockheed C-141A-LM Starlifter near Peterborough: 18 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 28, 1976 at 1240 LT
Operator:
Registration:
67-0006
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McGuire - Mildenhall - Torrejón
MSN:
300-6259
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
14989
Circumstances:
The Starlifter registered 67-0006 had a recent history of weather radar problems. It had been written up by crew members eight times previously. On the day of the accident the maintenance crewman, unaware of the previous problems, checked the radar. It seemed to be working, so it was signed off as "Ops Check Okay". Shortly after takeoff from McGuire AFB, the crew noticed that the radar was inoperative. Since severe weather was not forecast, they elected to continue to RAF Mildenhall, UK. Two hours after takeoff, British forecasters issued a SIGMET for "Moderate to occasional severe clear air turbulence from FL240 to FL400", but the crew never got this report. Four hours after takeoff the crew updates the weather forecast. They receive a weather forecast of "3/8 at 3000 feet, 4/8 at 4000 feet with an intermittent condition of wind 030/12 gusting 22, visibility five miles in thunderstorms, 2/8 at 2000 feet 5/8 at 2500 feet". The crew then attempted to get an update one hour from Mildenhall, but was unable to contact the base. Another station reported "4/8 Thunderstorms tops to FL260". During the enroute decent they entered the clouds. At FL150, they requested vectors around the weather. Because the primary radar was inoperative, the controller advised that he would have difficulty providing avoidance vectors. The aircraft then entered the leading edge of a very strong line of thunderstorm cells. One estimate indicated they encountered a 100 mph downward vertical airshaft. The right wing had failed, followed quickly by the upper half of the vertical stabilizer, and the four engines.
Source: C-141 Lifetime Mishap Summary / Lt. Col. Paul M. Hansen
Source: C-141 Lifetime Mishap Summary / Lt. Col. Paul M. Hansen
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to severe atmospheric turbulences in thunderstorm activity.
Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker in Cabanillas del Campo: 8 killed
Date & Time:
Feb 6, 1976
Operator:
Registration:
60-0368
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Madrid
MSN:
18143/482
YOM:
1961
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
5481
Circumstances:
While descending to Torrejón Airbase by night and limited visibility, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain located in Cabanillas del Campo, about 22 km northeast of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
Crash of an Avro 652 Anson C.19 at RAF Mildenhall
Date & Time:
Nov 21, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
VM372
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a local training mission at RAF Mildenhall when an engine failed in flight. The airplane lost height, struck trees, a pole and the roof of a house before crashing in a field located one mile southwest of the airbase. Both crew members were rescued and the aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.
Crash of a Boeing B-50D-115-BO Superfortress in RAF Mildenhall
Date & Time:
Oct 10, 1950
Operator:
Registration:
49-0318
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
MSN:
16094
YOM:
1949
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a local training mission at RAF Mildenhall. After an engine failed and caught fire in flight, the captain Robert C. Reagle decided to return to Mildenhall for an emergency landing when the left wing dropped on touchdown. The underwing tank burst into flames when striking the ground and the aircraft went off runway before coming to rest in flames. All crew members were uninjured while the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.
Crash of an Avro 694 Lincoln B.2 in RAF Mildenhall
Date & Time:
Sep 29, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
SX990
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew (35th Squadron) was performing a local training sortie in RAF Mildenhall. While approaching by night, the four engine aircraft was too low and crashed in a field located 5 miles from runway 11 threshold. All four crew members were injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Mildenhall
Date & Time:
May 26, 1949
Operator:
Registration:
PA383
Survivors:
Yes
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Belly landed and damaged beyond repair. No casualties.
Crash of an Avro 683 Lancaster I in RAF Mildenhall
Date & Time:
Jul 17, 1946
Operator:
Registration:
PB748
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mildenhall - Mildenhall
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On touchdown, an undercarriage collapsed, causing the aircraft to slid on the runway. All five crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Undercarriage collapsed on landing.
