Japan

Crashed on takeoff. Crew fate unknown.

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.

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. †

While returning to Iwakuni Airbase following a maritime patrol flight, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and a limited visibility due to snow falls. On descent, at an altitude of 6,200 feet, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Karnegeamori located few km southeast of the airfield. The wreckage was found few hours later and all 12 occupants were killed. For unknown reason, the crew was approaching the airbase at an insufficient altitude.

The crew (one instructor and three student pilots) was completing a local training flight at Yamagata Airport. While approaching the airfield from the north, the airplane suffered and engine failure. The instructor elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in flames in a field located in Murayama, about 11 km north of the airport. All four crew members were slightly injured while the aircraft was destroyed.

Apparently following technical problems, the crew elected to ditch the aircraft few km off the Okinawa coast while on a liaison flight. All 22 occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

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.

The crew departed Iwakuni Airbase on a maritime patrol flight. While flying in the vicinity of the Tsushima Island, the four engine aircraft crashed into the sea for unknown reason. All 12 crew members were killed.

Suffered a ground accident at Tachikawa Airbase. No casualties.

Flight 533 was a scheduled domestic.flight from Osaka International Airport to Matsuyama Airport. It departed Osaka International Airport at 1913 hours, one hour and twenty-five minutes behind schedule with an ATC clearance via G-4, Kure Point, direct Matsuyama NDB at an altitude of 8 000 ft. At 1940 hours it flew over Takamatsu NDB at an altitude of 8 000 ft and reported to Takamatsu Tower an estimated time over Kure Point of 2001 hours. At approximately 2000 hours the crew established communications with Iwakuni Approach Control and reported estimating over Kure Point at 2005 hours and over Matsuyama NDB at 2015 hours. They were twice given the meteorological information for Matsuyama Airport and were cleared to descend to 5 000 ft. At approximately 2003 hours during the descent they requested Matsuyama Tower to check operational conditions of Matsuyama NDB as they had doubts regarding its reliability. Matsuyama NDB, which had been closed af 2000 hours as scheduled, resumed operation at approximately 2010 hours. Almost at that time they requested from Iwakuni Approach Control an ATC clearance to go direct to Matsuyama from Iwakuni since they had already passed Kure Point, and reported in addition that Matsuyama NDB had returned to normal. Iwakuni Approach Control then cleared the flight to Iwakuni-NDB at an altitude of 5 000 ft, requested its estimated time over Iwakuni NDB and further instructed the flight to proceed on a magnetic bearing of 1340 after passing Iwakuni NDB. The flight passed over Iwakuni NDB at approximately 2015 hours and whilst on a magnetic bearing of 135°, it was cleared to descend to and maintain 3 000 ft to Matsuyama NDB. During its descent to 3 000 ft the flight reported to Iwakuni Approach Control its estimated time over Matsuyama NDB as 2023 hours. Shortly thereafter the flight reported that the runway was in sight and was instructed to establish contact with Matsuyama Tower, which it did at 2024:03 hours. It was then instructed to report downwind for Runway 31 and informed that the wind was 020°/10 kt, and the altimeter setting 29.80 in. Hg. This was acknowledged. At approximately 2025:44 hours, while turning on base leg, the flight reported gear down and checked and was cleared to land the wind being 010°/10 kt. This was also acknowledged. Based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and the recording of ATC communications, the final phase of the flight was reconstructed as follows: The altitude of the aircraft on final approach was slightly higher than usual and touchdown occurred approximately 460 m from the threshold of Runway 31. Immediately before touchdown on the runway the engine power had been increased. After a ground run of approximately 170 m the aircraft became airborne and the flight path was slightly to the left of the centre line as the aircraft passed the Runway 13 threshold. A few seconds later, at 2027: 30 hours the aircraft reported it was making a go-around. At approximately 2027:41 hours the flight was instructed to report turning base leg for Runway 31, and six seconds later it replied "Roger, will report turning base Runway 31". This was the last communication from the flight. The climb out angle was observed to be shallower than usual and on reaching a height of 230 - 330 ft a left turn was commenced. Shortly thereafter the aircraft descended and crashed into water, the flight path angle at impact being about 5°. The site of the accident was approximately 450 m NE of the point where the empennage was recovered (7 580 m on a true bearing of 1570 from Tsurushima Light Beacon).