Refuelling

Collided in midair with a USAF KC-135 registered 61-0273 while performing a refueling mission during 'Operation Chrome Dome'. Crashed near Palomares, killing four of the seven crew members. Four nuclear weapons fell from the wreckage, one of them was 2 1/2 months later into the Mediterranean Sea.
Crew:
Cpt Charles Charlie Wendorf, pilot,
Maj Larry Messinger, pilot,
Michael Rooney, copilot,
Cpt Ivan Buchanan, radar navigator,
1st Lt George J. Glesner, †
1st Lt Steven G. Montanus, †
T/Sgt Ronald P. Snyder. †

Collided in midair with a USAF Boeing B-52 registered 58-0256 while performing a refueling mission during 'Operation Chrome Dome'. Crashed near Palomares, killing all four crew members.

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed in a huge explosion. All five crew members were killed.

The crew departed Dow AFB on a refueling mission over the Atlantic. While completing a refueling mission with a USAF Boeing B-47E-25-DT Stratojet registered 52-0171, both aircraft collided and crashed into the sea some 660 km southeast of Goose Bay, Newfoundland. All eight occupant in both aircraft were killed. The exact circumstances of the collision remains unclear.

Shortly after takeoff from McConnell AFB, while climbing to a height of 500-700 feet, the captain sent a first distress call while the aircraft experienced a large amount of yaw. The crew elected to return for a safe landing and began to dump large quantities of fuel from the aircraft's refueling tanks. Shortly after this, the aircraft made a hard bank to the left, and began to enter a roll. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed at the intersection of Piatt and 20th Street, just three minutes after takeoff, some 7 miles north-northwest of the airbase. The aerial refueling aircraft was loaded with 31,000 US gallons of jet fuel and the crash resulted in a large explosion and subsequent fire, which engulfed dozens of homes. The accident killed all seven crew members on board the aircraft and 23 people on the ground. In addition, 27 other people on the ground sustained injuries, three of which were serious. It was reported that the crew entry door was jettisoned and a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, which took off prior to the KC-135, may have blown a detached drag chute from an F-105 Thunderchief against the departing aircraft.

Five Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker planes were scheduled to take off from Pease AFB as part of an airborne refueling training mission. The first three took off successfully, however the forth aircraft crashed and exploded on take off, scattering debris across the Pease golf course, and nearby Route 101. All five crewmen aboard were killed. Two civilians, a mother and her daughter, were slightly burned when the accident occurred. They had been sitting in a car on Route 101 watching the aircraft take off.
Crew (100th Air Refueling Squadron):
Cpt Robert L. Thompson, pilot,
Cpt Michael P. Valavon, copilot,
1st Lt Larry C. Dennis, navigator,
S/Sgt Gerald W. Schulz, boom operator,
S/Sgt Richard E. Towle, flight engineer.

The aircraft was on its way from Misawa AFB to Yokota AFB with 11 crew members on board. Following an uneventful refuelling mission, something went wrong and the airplane went out of control. Four crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a mountainous area located in the region of Fukushima. The seven crew members who remained in the cabin were killed.

The KC-135 was engaged in a refueling mission out from Larson AFB, Washington, and was carrying a crew of four. At an altitude of 26,000 feet, following a successful refueling mission of a USAF Republic F-105D-15-RE Thunderchief registered 61-0091, the crew of the KC-135 attempted to leave the area and the pilot-in-command made a turn to the right when the engine number four struck the cockpit window of the Thunderchief. Out of control, both aircraft dove into the ground and crashed in a mountainous area located in the Death Valley National Park. All four crew members on board the KC-135 as well as the pilot of the Thunderchief were killed.
KC-135 crew:
Cpt Thomas F. Dozier, pilot,
1st Lt Erwin W. Boelter Jr., copilot,
1st Lt Ronald D. Williams, navigator,
S/Sgt Robert J. Graves, boom operator.
Thunderchief pilot:
Cpt Leonard F. Reynolds.

Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0319 and carrying a crew of six. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.

Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0322 and carrying a crew of five. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.