Crash of a Lockheed 5 Vega in Brownsville

Date & Time: May 19, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N161N
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
41
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was carrying two people who were flying to Brownsville to take part to an airshow. The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances and both occupants were injured.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in Mustang: 4 killed

Date & Time: Apr 21, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
N200
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Oklahoma City - Oklahoma City
MSN:
20400
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
Four pilots left Oklahoma City-Will Rogers for a local training flight. While cruising at low height, between 200 and 500 feet, the airplane went into a dive and crashed in a canyon located in Mustang, about six miles west of Will Rogers Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot failed to maintain flying speed during VMC demonstration manoeuvre and the conduct of the demonstration flight at an excessively low altitude.

Crash of a Douglas R4D-5 at Fallon NAS: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1961
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Grosse Ile – Fallon – Alameda
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Fallon NAS, while climbing to a height of 10 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed in flames. Six occupants were killed and 12 others were injured.

Crash of a Douglas B-26B Invader off Dry Tortugas: 2 killed

Date & Time: Apr 15, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
Shot down by Cuban fire and crashed into the sea off Dry Tortugas Islands, Florida. Both crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down by Cuban fire.

Crash of a Douglas DC-3S in Bluefield

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N541S
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pittsburgh – Bluefield
MSN:
43192
YOM:
1937
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft was completing a flight from Pittsburgh to Bluefield, carrying a crew of three and one passenger, the vice-president of the United States Steel Corporation. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest on an embankment. All four occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Boeing B-52B-30-BO Stratofortress on Mt Taylor: 3 killed

Date & Time: Apr 7, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-0380
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Biggs - Biggs
MSN:
16859
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft christened 'Ciudad Juarez' departed Biggs AAF on a training mission with two F-100A Super Sabre. After five simulated missile passes followed by tail-chase gun "attacks" van Scyoc, the 188th's Safety Officer, hauled his fighter round for a final Sidewinder practice. He was closing with the bomber when his No. 2 AIM-9B suddenly left its rail, homed on to the B-52's left inboard engine pod and exploded, severing the wing. The B52 went out of control and entered a dive. Three crew members were able to bail out before the airplane crashed on Mt Taylor and was destroyed, killing five other crew members.
Crew:
Cpt Donald C. Blodgett, pilot,
Cpt Ray C. Obel, copilot,
Cpt Peter J. Gineris, navigator, †
Cpt Stephen Carter, bombardier, †
Cpt George D. Jackson, ECM,
2nd Lt Glenn Bair, ECM student, †
S/Sgt Ray A. Singleton, gunner,
S/Sgt Manuel L. Mieras, maintenance controller.
More info on:
http://www.angelfire.com/dc/jinxx1/images/Shootdown.html

Crash of a Boeing B-52G-125-BW Stratofortress in Silver Hill: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 30, 1961 at 2115 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
59-2576
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Dow - Dow
MSN:
464339
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
Judy 24
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Aircraft flight hours:
233
Circumstances:
The crew departed Dow AFB for a training and refueling mission. At an altitude of 30,000 feet, while preparing to refuel with a USAF KC-125, the pilot-in-command reduce the speed too much, causing the airplane to stall and to enter a dive. Two crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion near Silver Hill. Six crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt William Donald McCullen, pilot, †
Cpt William Woody Farmer, copilot, †
Cpt Robert Marsh Morgenroth, radar navigator, †
Cpt George William Beale, observer, †
S/Sgt James Howard Fults, gunner instructor, †
A1C Robert Nathaniel Gaskey, gunner student, †
Maj Wilbur Fred Minnich, navigator,
1st Lt Glen Charles Farnham, EWO.
Probable cause:
Pilot error.

Crash of a Lockheed RC-121C Super Constellation near Marysville: 6 killed

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1961
Operator:
Registration:
51-3842
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McClellan - McClellan
MSN:
4118
YOM:
1953
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances ten miles of Marysville while completing a test flight out from McClellan AFB. All six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress near Yuba City

Date & Time: Mar 14, 1961 at 1103 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
57-0166
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Mather - Mather
MSN:
464155
YOM:
1957
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a sortie from Mather AFB, Sacramento. En route, the failure of the cabin pressurization system caused by a window crack forced the crew to make an emergency descent. The pilot informed ground about his situation and elected to divert to the nearest airport when all crew members decided to abandon the airplane that crashed in an uninhabited area located 15 miles west of Yuba City. The airplane was totally destroyed and all eight crew members were rescued, four of them were injured.
Probable cause:
Failure of the pressurization system caused by a window crack.

Crash of a Lockheed P2V-7S Neptune in Lake George: 8 killed

Date & Time: Mar 9, 1961
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
147970
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Jacksonville - Jacksonville
MSN:
726-7220
YOM:
1958
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The crew departed Jacksonville-Cecil Field NAS for a local searchlight mission. In the evening, while flying in foggy conditions, the airplane went out of control and crashed into Lake George, about 66 miles south of the airbase. The wreckage was found in the next morning and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt Robert K. Morse, pilot,
Lt Walter T. Gardner, mechanic,
A2c Fred G. Pridgeon, technician,
At2 Harry G. Cummins, technician,
Terry L. Ramsby 3.