Crash of a Lockheed C-130H Hercules on Mt Sleeping Indian: 9 killed
Date & Time:
Aug 17, 1996 at 2250 LT
Operator:
Registration:
74-1662
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jackson Hole - New York
MSN:
4597
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
Havoc 58
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
9
Captain / Total hours on type:
904.00
Copilot / Total hours on type:
149
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Jackson Hole Airport at 2245LT on a flight to New York-JFK, carrying eight crew members and a U.S. Secret Service agent. The purpose of the flight was to transport a U.S. Secret Service communications vehicle to New York after President Bill Clinton spent some vacations in Jackson Hole. Five minutes after takeoff, while climbing by night, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of Mt Sleeping Indian (Mt Sheep - 3,427 metres high) located about 18 km southeast of the airport. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all nine occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew's failure to properly plan for a night departure from an unfamiliar airport. The crew did not follow the published instrument departure procedures and was relatively inexperienced.
Final Report:
