United States of America

The airplane was on a refueling mission and departed Westover AFB at 1330LT bound for Griffiss AFB, Rome, New York. Following an uneventful mission, the crew started the descent to Griffiss AFB but was instructed to follow a holding pattern because a fighter that was short of fuel must land immediately. Twenty-five minutes later, while cruising in poor weather conditions (freezing rain and snow), the airplane struck the snowy Mt Big Shanty (701 meters high) located about 70 miles northeast of Griffiss AFB, in the Adirondack Mountain Range. Rescuers arrived on scene in the early morning of January 24. All seven crew members have been killed, among them Maj Charles D. Mellinger, pilot, and 1st Lt Fred Defrench, copilot.

Parked at Idlewild Airport, the aircraft was stolen by a technician who was able to takeoff. During initial climb, at an altitude of 150 feet, the airplane stalled and crashed near the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the 'pilot' was killed.

The crew was completing a night training mission at Bergstrom AFB. On final approach, the airplane was too low and crashed in flames short of runway. Four crew members were rescued while five others were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.
Those killed were:
Lt Ronald Rosetti,
Lt Robert E. Smith,
Sgt Edward Clifford Clemmons,
Sgt Thomas Salazar,
A2c Michael Bryan McIntosh,
Lt Don Anderson Berg.

Flight 327 was scheduled between Providence, Rhode Island, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, with intermediate stops including Chicago, Illinois; and St. Louis, Springfield, and Joplin, Missouri. The flight to Chicago was routine; however, the crew, when securing the cockpit, observed that the fire-warning light for the forward cargo and electrical accessory compartments flickered. This was called to the attention of both the ground crew and the relieving crew (a routine crew change was made) and was written in the aircraft log. Because of necessary repairs to the fire-warning system the flight was delayed 1 hour, 40 minutes and it departed Chicago at 1950. The new crew consisted of Captain Wesley G. Mims, First Officer Paul H. Johnson, and Stewardess Shirley D. Walker. Flight 327 was routine to Joplin and it departed there at 2323 with seven passengers aboard. Leaving Joplin the aircraft weighed 35,940 pounds, which was well under the allowable gross takeoff weight; the load was properly distributed. The flight was cleared by ARTC (Air Route Traffic Control) to the Owasso “H” facility, 2 via airway V-88, to maintain 4,000 feet, and to contact Tulsa approach control on crossing the south course of Chanute low frequency range for further clearance. At approximately 2333, 10 minutes after takeoff from Joplin, ARTC, through the company radio, advised the flight to climb to 4,500 feet, to maintain 4,500 feet, and to report leaving 4,000. This transmission was acknowledged and flight 327 reported leaving 4,000 feet at 2334. Approximately 10 minutes later company radio at Tulsa gave the flight the Tulsa 2328 weather sequence. The company then gave the flight the local altimeter setting as 30.15 and field pressure as 460 feet above zero. This was acknowledged and flight 327 reported it was changing over to Tulsa approach control frequency. At 2347 the flight reported crossing the south leg of Chanute low frequency range and was immediately cleared by approach control direct to Owasso, to descend to and maintain 3,500 feet, and to report when over Owasso. The 2328 Tulsa weather was given the flight as: Measured ceiling 600 feet, overcast; visibility 2-1/2 miles; very light drizzle and fog; wind calm. Liter, the flight reported it was 1-1/2 minutes from Owasso and asked if any delay was expected. Approach control advised no delay was expected since the only local traffic was then making an ILS (Instrument Landing System) approach. Shortly thereafter approach control advised flight 327 that the visibility was then 1-3/4 miles, that the U.S. Weather Bureau was checking the ceiling, and asked if an Owasso approach straight in to runway 17 was to be mad or if an ILS approach was preferred. The flight advised it would make the Owasso approach and at 2357 was cleared accordingly. It was asked to report when over the Owasso facility inbound. At 2400 flight 327 reported over Owasso, inbound, and was cleared to land on runway 17L. Two minutes later a special 2355 weather observation was transmitted to the flight as: Measured 200, overcast; visibility 1-3/4; very light drizzle and fog. This transmission was not acknowledged and nothing further was heard from the flight. Repeated efforts by approach control and other facilities to contact the flight were unsuccessful.

The crew departed Youngstown Airport on a local familiarization flight and continued to the east over Pennsylvania. In the region of Nashua, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a field, killing all three occupants.

Nineteen minutes after his departure from Elmendorf AFB, while cruising at an altitude of 4,200 feet, the crew contacted ATC when the airplane struck Mt Bald located about 11 miles east of Talkeetna. As the airplane was fully loaded with fuel, a huge explosion occurred on impact. The aircraft was destroyed and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew (508th Air Refueling Squadron):
1st Lt Thomas H. Patton, pilot,
2nd Lt James D. Dellinger, copilot,
1st Lt Lionel E. Reid, navigator,
1st Lt Luther G. Lamm,
M/Sgt Otto D. McAdams,
T/Sgt Thurman C. Rainer,
S/Sgt John B. Pyland,
A2c William P. Hodgson.

N1245V departed Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at 1850, December 20, 1956, on an IFR flight plan via airways V-35, V-6, V-168, V-30, and V-1 to New York International Airport. Jamaica, New York. The crow consisted of Captain Roy E. Rollo and Copilot Lewis Thomas Williams. Mr. Alden Roach, President of Columbia-Geneva Steel Company, was the only passenger. At the time of takeoff from Pittsburgh, the gross weight of the aircraft was 19,421 pounds (maximum allowable gross load 19,500 pounds) and the weight was properly distributed. The purpose of the flight was to transport Mr. Roach to New York International Airport. The flight reported to Pittsburgh Air Route Traffic Center at 1905 when it was over New Alexandria, Pennsylvania, altitude 7,000 feet. A revised routing clearance to New York International Airport was issued to the flight at 1906 by ARTC to proceed via airways V-35, V-6, V-168, and Blue 18, and to climb to and maintain 9,000 feet. 2 Accordingly, N1245V reported leaving 7,000 and 8,000 feet at 1907 and 1909, respectively. At 1921 the Civil Aeronautics Administration Communications Station at Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, received a call from the flight giving its position as over the Coalport intersection at 1916, estimating Philipsburg at 1930. Philipsburg radio then requested N1245V to change over to the frequency of the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center and this message was acknowledged. This was the last radio contact with the flight. At 1928 Philipsburg radio received a telephone call, from a location 24 miles east of the Coalport intersection and approximately 12 miles south-southwest of the Philipsburg Airport, to the effect that an aircraft, later identified as N1245V, had crashed and was burning in a nearby mountainous wooded area. The Philipsburg 1928 weather sequence was: Ceiling measured 400 feet, overcast; visibility 2 miles; fog; temperature 40; dewpoint 40; wind calm; altimeter 30.04.

Following an uneventful cargo flight, the crew started the approach to Long Beach under VFR. On final, the airplane went through a patch of fog. In zero visibility, the airplane descended until it struck the ground and crashed few dozen yards short of runway threshold. All four crew members were slightly injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The purpose of this flight was to take six passengers, all Phillips' employees. from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, to Salt Lake City, Utah. Company Pilot Joe Mark Bower and company Copilot-Mechanic Robert Ellwood Ulrich were assigned to the flight by the Aviation Department of Phillips. When the aircraft was loaded and prior to leaving the ramp Copilot Ulrich called the company radio station, located on the airport, requested taxiing instructions, and asked for an IFR clearance to Salt Lake City, nonstop. The company radio operator obtained the desired clearance from ARTC through Tulsa, and immediately relayed it to the aircraft. A flight plan previously prepared contained the following information: Proposed time of departure 0805; estimated elapsed time 5 hours, 15 minutes; fuel on board 6 hours. Departure was at 0826. At that time the gross weight of the aircraft was 19,284 pounds (maximum allowable was 19.500 pounds), and the load was properly distributed with respect to allowable center of gravity limitations. About 14 minutes after takeoff, at approximately 0840, Copilot Ulrich called Bartlesville Radio and stated that the flight was having engine trouble, with an oil temperature over 100 degrees, and requested that the IFR flight plan be canceled as they might return. The Bartlesville operator complied and notified Tulsa. At the next contact, about 0845, the copilot again called Bartlesville Radio stating that they could not unfeather the propeller. At that time he asked the Bartlesville operator to determine the condition of the runways at Tulsa (about 40 miles to the south). This information was obtained and immediately relayed to the copilot, whereupon he said. "Going to Tulsa, changing over." Bartlesville's single 4,600-foot runway had patches of snow and ice while all runways at Tulsa Airport were clear. This was the last radio contact with the flight. None of the messages had mentioned which engine was giving trouble; none indicated any anxiety or stress. There is no known record of N 28366 having made radio contact with any ground station or aircraft other than Bartlesville Radio. About the same time as the last radio contact, the Bartlesville radio operator and Phillips' chief pilot saw the aircraft passing south of the Bartlesville Airport heading easterly. They estimated its altitude to be 3,000 feet above the ground. The aircraft continued east for about 4-1/2 miles, until beyond the more congested part of Bartlesville, and then turned to the right about 90 degrees toward Tulsa. A number of persons saw the flight after it turned toward Tulsa. When it had been on this southerly heading for about four miles the aircraft was seen to plunge to earth in a manner described by several witnesses as a spin. Impact with the rolling terrain was on a heading of about 240 degrees, while the wings were about level, and while the nose-down angle was close to vertical. An explosion and intense fire ensued, largely destroying the general structure of the aircraft.

Soon after a night takeoff from Castle AFB, while climbing to a height of 500 feet, the aircraft adopted a 5° nose down attitude. The crew elected to correct this but the aircraft went into a descent and struck the ground 4 miles north of the airbase and exploded on impact, killing all 10 crew members.
Crew:
Cpt John A. Goddard, aircraft commander,
Cpt Richard M. Wikstrom, pilot,
Cpt Leland Fulton Burch, navigator,
Maj Robert Louis Sherman, ECM operator
Cpt Jack Eugene Welch, radar-bombardier,
Maj Bryant Guernsey Gay, electronic counter measure operator,
T/Sgt William J. Maguire, radio operator,
Cpt Nick Sam Koss, radar-bombardier instructor,
Cpt Charles Warren Schweer, ECM instructor,
T/Sgt Gerald Everett Riley, tail gunner.