United States of America

The crew was completing a transpacific flight from Wake Island to Biggs AAF. While descending by night under VFR mode, the pilot informed ground his fuel reserve was low. On approach, the airplane struck the ground in a desert area, slid for 300 yards and eventually crashed on a sand dune and exploded six miles from runway 21 threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Fred G. Padelford, pilot,
Cpt Bruce E. Christian, copilot,
Maj Wayne W. Holt, navigator,
T/Sgt Charles C. Timmsen, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Bernard F. Rivers, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Harold B. Mecusen, refueling operator,
A1c Clifton C. Tabor, refueling operator,
S/Sgt Claude L. Early, maintenance crew chief,
A2c Joseph T. Rothschopf, assistant crew chief.

The crew departed Selfridge AFB on a refuelling mission, carrying a load of 9,500 gallons of fuel. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, one of the engine failed. The aircraft lost height, stalled and crashed in a huge explosion few km from the airfield. On impact, few debris scattered around and struck several houses and a mill. The aircraft disintegrated and all five crew members were killed. There were no injuries on the ground.
Crew:
Lt John C. Bibble, pilot,
Cpt Lydell M. Haygood, pilot,
T/Sgt Robert E. Derby, flight engineer,
S/Sgt Ernest J. Lemoine III, boom operator,
Lt Robert L. Lewis, navigator.

The aircraft was performing a flight from New York to Andrews AFB, carrying a crew of four and four passengers, among them Paul B. Fay Jr. who should be appointed under-secretary of the US Navy. While descending to Andrews, the crew was informed about poor weather conditions at destination and the captain decided to divert to Bader Field. Few minutes later, the electric system failed. The pilot-in-command was able to land on runway 04 at Bader Field but after touchdown, he was unable to activate the reverse thrust due to the electric failure. Unable to stop withing the remaining distance, the aircraft overran and eventually plunged into the Bay of Thorofare. All eight occupants were quickly rescued while the aircraft was lost.

The crew was performing a positioning flight from Austin-Bergstrom Airport to LBJ Ranch to pick up Lyndon B. Johnson. vice-president of the United States. En route, the crew was informed about weather conditions at destination with low clouds and low visibility due to rain falls. While approaching the ranch under VFR mode, the pilot was unable to locate the runway due to lack of visibility (night and rain) and decided to return to Austin when the airplane struck the ground and crashed. Both pilots were killed.

The four engine aircraft departed Idlewild Airport at 1157LT with a crew of six and climbed along the shore of Long Island on a training mission. 23 minutes later, the airplane christened 'Flagship Oklahoma' banked left, entered a dive and eventually crashed into the ocean five miles off shore. Few debris were found off Montauk Point and all six crew members have been killed.

A fuel leak occurred in the right wing while cruising at high altitude. The crew decided to divert to Seymour Johnson AFB for a safe landing but on final, the right wing detached. The airplane crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 12 miles from the runway threshold. Three crew members were killed while five others were injured. The aircraft was carrying two Mark 39 thermonuclear bombs that were later recovered. In 2013, documents and information relating this story were declassified by the US Government.
Crew:
Maj Walter S. Tulloch, pilot,
Cpt Richard W. Hardin, copilot,
Maj Eugene Shelton, radio navigator, †
Cpt Paul E. Brown, navigator,
1st Lt William H. Wilson, Electronics Warfare Officer
Maj Eugene H. Richards, Electronics Warfare Instructor, †
1st Lt Adam C. Mattocks, pilot,
T/Sgt Francis R. Barnish, air gunner. †

En route from San Antonio to Mobile at an altitude of 2,500 feet, the crew informed ATC that the left engine caught fire. He elected to divert to the nearest airport but few minutes later, the left wing detached and the airplane crashed in flames in a field located in Katy, about 27 miles west of Houston. The aircraft was destroyed and both pilots were killed.

While conducting a maritime patrol flight over the Pacific Ocean, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and the captain decided to return to Midway Island NAS for a safe landing. During the final approach completed by night, the four engine aircraft was too low, causing the main landing gears to struck a seawall located short of runway threshold. On impact, the undercarriage were sheared off. The airplane went out control and crashed in flames onto a fire truck parked by the runway. Six passengers were killed as well as all three firemen sitting in the truck and awaiting the aircraft according to procedures.

The first approximate 6,200 feet of takeoff roll was observed by control tower personnel, visually, until the aircraft was lost to view by obscuring snow, approximately 3,800 feet from the control tower. They stated that at that time the aircraft had not taken off or rotated. Another tower controller observed the aircraft by airport surface-detection *** radar from the start of its roll to the eastern end of runway 7R, where it disappeared from view. A few seconds later he observed a bright orange flash on the sky northeast of the airport. He could not tell if the aircraft left the runway. Emergency procedures were started immediately by the controllers and an unsuccessful attempt was made to contact the flight on the departure radio frequency. Captain Poe was the only survivor of the four cockpit occupants. He stated as follows: The checklist was accomplished normally. The runway condition was good and everything apparently occurred in a routine manner through the 100-knot time check when the first officer called out "***" (Spanish for 100). Upon reaching approximately 130 knots (the V1 speed) the first officer called out V1 and VR rapid succession. The aircraft was then rotated quickly and somewhat excessively. Poe did not see the airspeed go over 130 knots and as rotation started he saw the airspeed start to drop back quite rapidly to about 110 knots. At this time the Aeronaves captain called or pointed to the airspeed indicator. Poe felt that the aircraft could not become airborne under these conditions and that the runway remaining was not long enough to put the nose back down to start the takeoff again from that speed. His only choice, so he stated, was to try to get the aircraft stopped on the runway. Poe unfastened his safety belt, stood to gauge progress down the runway, moved forward, shoved the throttles forward briefly, noted a normal and uniform response from the engine instruments (the EPR gauges were reading normally from 2.52 to 2.54), and then pulled the throttles full back. Captain Gonzales "immediately" pulled the reverse throttles back into reverse thrust and used wheel brakes. Poe extended the spoilers and then sat down on the jump seat without refastening his seat belt. He believes that the aircraft did not take off Whether it did or not wall be discussed later in this report. Poe's actions would have taken about three seconds, an shown by later test. The aircraft continued ahead the full length of the 10,000-foot runway, beyond it, through a blast fence, 3 catching on fire, through the airport boundary fence, and across Rockaway Boulevard where it struck an automobile injuring the driver and sole occupant. After going through the blast fence, many parts were shed before the aircraft came to rest in flames 830 feet beyond the end of the runway. Emergency vehicles from the airport and of the New York Fire Department were quickly started for the scene. Although impeded somewhat by weather conditions, they reached it within about six minutes and extinguished the fire. Evacuation and rescue of the occupants had already been effected in a total time of about five minutes, although most persons were out of the wreckage and away from the fire site in half this time. Many of the survivors were taken to hospital in privately owned vehicles. Destruction of the aircraft was extensive.

The crew departed Biggs AAF at 1715LT on a training flight. While overflying Utah at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the airplane encountered severe turbulences that affected its structure. In such conditions, all seven crew members decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. Out of control, the B-52 dove into the ground and crashed in a field located near Monticello, Utah. A crew member was killed while six others were rescued.
Crew:
Cpt John P. Marsh, pilot,
1st Lt Thomas A. Stout, copilot,
Cpt Harold S. Bonneville, radar navigator,
2nd Lt Jerome R. Calvert, navigator,
1st Lt Ivan G. Petty, electronic warfare officer,
T/Sgt David A. Forsythe, gunner,
S/Sgt Lionel A. Terry, flight engineer. †