Moffett AFB

The aircraft departed Moffett AFB on a combined survey mission over the Pacific Ocean with a second USN Orion registered 159325 carrying a crew of 13. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, both aircraft collided and crashed in the sea. Few debris were found floating on water about 60 miles southwest of San Diego and all 27 crew members were missing and never recovered.

The aircraft departed Moffett AFB on a combined survey mission over the Pacific Ocean with a second USN Orion registered 158930 carrying a crew of 14. While cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet in marginal weather conditions, both aircraft collided and crashed in the sea. Few debris were found floating on water about 60 miles southwest of San Diego and all 27 crew members were missing and never recovered.

The aircraft was engaged in a local training flight with a crew of six on board. At a same time was approaching to Moffett AFB a NASA Convair CV-990-30A-5 registered N711NA that was returning to Moffett following a test flight over the Monterey Bay with eight scientists and a crew of three on board. Following an uneventful mission, the crew of the Convair started the approach and was cleared to land on runway 32R while seven miles out. After been cleared, the Orion's crew informed ATC he was joining the runway 32L approach path when the controller cleared the crew of the Convair to land at runway 32L. Shortly later, at an altitude of about 300 feet, the nose gear of the Convair struck the top of the Orion's tail. Both airplanes went out of control and crashed in flames on the Sunnyvale golf course located about 0,3 mile short of runway threshold. A crew member from the Orion was seriously injured while all 16 other occupants on both aircraft were killed.

The aircraft was engaged in a local test flight at Moffett Airbase, carrying three crew members and eight NASA scientists in charge to test a survey equipment over the Monterey Bay. Following an uneventful mission, the crew started the approach and was cleared to land on runway 32R while seven miles out. In the region was also operated a US Navy Lockheed P-3C-125-LO Orion registered 157332 and that was completing a local training flight with a crew of six on board. After been cleared, the Orion's crew informed ATC he was joining the runway 32L approach path when the controller cleared the crew of the Convair to land at runway 32L. Shortly later, at an altitude of about 300 feet, the nose gear of the Convair struck the top of the Orion's tail. Both airplanes went out of control and crashed in flames on the Sunnyvale golf course located about 0,3 mile short of runway threshold. A crew member from the Orion was seriously injured while all 16 other occupants on both aircraft were killed.

While engaged in a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances. No trace of the aircraft nor the eight occupants was found.

The crew was completing a local test flight on this new aircraft which should be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force. Upon landing, one of the main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest in flames. While all four crew members escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

The airplane was engaged in an anti-submarine exercise when control was lost. It crashed into the Pacific Ocean about 187 miles off San Diego. The aircraft was destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.

En route from Ontario (California) to Moffett AFB, the crew decided to perform five consecutive stalls. Doing so, the airplane lost 3,000 feet and suffered severe vibrations that caused structural damages to skin, stringers and bulkheads in the aft portions of the fuselage. The pilot requested permission to divert to Taft Airport for an emergency landing but shortly later, the airplane disintegrated in the air and crashed in a mountainous area located 7 miles east of Taft. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five crew members were killed.

On approach to Santa Monica-Clover Field, the twin engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain located in the Dry Canyon, some 5 miles north of the airport. All seven crew members were killed.

The four engine Navy hospital plane was performing a flight from the Moffett AFB located near San Jose, California, to Oakland NAS with 14 patients and a crew of seven on board. The approach to Oakland NAS was completed in low visibility due to foggy conditions, via a GCA guidance system. On final, the aircraft was too low and hit an embankment. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off, the aircraft crash landed, skidded for about 1,000 feet and came to rest in flames. A passenger was killed while 20 other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.