Sidi Slimane AFB | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While cruising about 550 km southeast of the Azores Islands, the crew contacted ground and informed ATC about a double engine failure. The radio operator was able to give his exact position before the aircraft was ditched into the ocean. All seven crew members were evacuated safely and the aircraft floated for ten days before it was sunk by the crew of USS Wisconsin.

Probable cause:

Double engine failure in flight.

Crash of a Boeing KC-97F-65-BO Stratotanker near Sidi Slimane

Date & Time: Aug 6, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

51-0325

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

16392

YOM:

1951

Location:

Sidi Slimane AFB

Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen

Country:

Morocco

Region:

Africa

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The aircraft suffered a fuel exhaustion in flight, so all crew members bailed out and abandoned the aircraft that crashed about 10 km north of Sidi Slimane. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Fuel exhaustion.

Crash of a Douglas A-26C-25-DT Invader near El Jadida: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1954

Type of aircraft:

Douglas A-26 Invader

Operator:

Registration:

43-22590

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Sidi Slimane - Sidi Slimane

MSN:

18737

YOM:

1943

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4200

Circumstances:

The crew left Sidi Slimane AFB at 1826LT for a 2,5 hours training flight with two other similar aircraft. After departure, the captain completed the level off at an altitude of 2,000 feet and proceeded to the southwest. Later, while cruising at an altitude of 1,000 feet, the crew completed several maneuvers and circuits then started his way back to Sidi Slimane AFB via Azemmour. Suddenly, the right engine failed. The captain increased power on the left engine that failed shortly later. He attempted to make an emergency landing in a field located near Cap Blanc, about 15 km southwest of El Jadida. After a night descent of 300 feet per minute with its landing gear down, the airplane landed at a speed of 130 knots in a field. After a course of dozen yards, it collided with a rocky wall, lost its both engines and came to rest. First rescuers arrived on site at 0200LT on January 15. Two crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured.
Crew (based at Laon-Couvron AFB, France):
Col John Crocker, pilot, †
Cpt Gene Robert, copilot,
1st Lt Gordon Stewart, navigator, †
S/Sgt Theo McCool, gunner.

Probable cause:

The cause of the failure of the right engine could not be determined with certainty. However, it is believed that the failure of the left engine was the result of a mistake on part of the pilot-in-command while trying to complete an emergency maneuver.