Refuelling

The crew departed Eielson AFB, engaged in a routine refueling mission. Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the engine number one failed. The airplane banked left and crashed in a huge explosion onto several buildings. All seven crew members and two people on the ground were killed. The aircraft and two buildings (the crew rest house and a guard local) were destroyed.

Just after liftoff from Loring AFB, the airplane encountered difficulties to climb. The left wing stalled and struck the ground, causing the aircraft to crash and burn 2,500 feet past the runway end. All six occupants were killed.

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.

At 8:15 PM on Monday, June 27, 1960, crew T-51 of the 380th Air Refueling Squadron departed Plattsburgh AFB aboard a KC-97G for the "Fighting Fox" air refueling area over Maine. Their mission was part of a SAC Operational Readiness Inspection of the 380th Bombardment Wing code named "Jet Stream Golf". They, and a backup KC-97G, were to refuel a B-47 under simulated combat conditions. The mission was expected to last just under four hours, with both tankers returning to Plattsburgh. After a successful rendezvous with the bomber, the tanker descended to the refueling altitude of 15,500 feet and accelerated, nose down, to 190 knots. The low altitude, when compared to today's KC-135 and KC-10 operations, was one of the necessities of refueling jet bombers like the B-47 and B-52 with a reciprocating engine powered aircraft. As the B-47 closed with the KC-97 from a higher altitude in "observation" position, everything seemed fine. Logistical radio exchanges were made and the bomber began to descend and close into refueling position. As they approached, the B-47 pilot and copilot saw a long stream of flame come back toward them from the KC-97's number one engine, then suddenly disappear. A small spot of white hot glow was noted near the rear of the number one engine. Seconds later, a large ball of flame enveloped the engine and the surrounding wing area. The boom operator transmitted "breakaway, breakaway, breakaway", and the B-47 commander took up a loose formation position off the tanker's right wing. The backup tanker, above and to the rear, made radio contact asking if they were in trouble, to which Lt. Burgess, the aircraft commander calmly replied "Roger, I'm on fire". At this point, the aircraft entered a gradual left turn which continued to get steeper, and turned into a spiral or spin. It was later determined that the left wing outboard of the burning engine had failed due to fire damage, before the crew could complete the "engine fire" drill. It was later found in Howard Pond some three miles from the crash site. The B-47 commander called "bail out! bail out!" but got no reply and spotted no parachutes. Witnesses on the ground, including over three hundred moviegoers at the Rumford Point Drive-In, saw the flaming aircraft spin down with burning pieces falling off. The fuel laden tanker crashed into Jonathan Smith Mountain near Route 26 in the Town of Newry. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Lt William Burgess, pilot,
Lt Lewis Turner, copilot,
Lt Raymond Kisonas, navigator,
M/Sgt Harold Young, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Robert Costello, boom operator.
Source: http://www.mewreckchasers.com/kc97art.html

The aircraft, assigned to the 384th AREFS, departed from Westover AFB on a refueling mission. The KC-97 collided with a B-52 during refueling at an altitude of about 15,000 feet. The aircraft lost the whole left horizontal stabilizer and elevator, the rudder was missing and the upper fourth of the vertical stabilizer. They made a no-flap, electrical power off landing at night at Dow AFB. Two crew members on the B-52 parachuted to safety. The plane remaining crew members continued to Springfield-Westover AFB, MA (CEF) where a safe landing was made.
Source:
https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19591214-0

The crew left Columbus AFB, Mississippi, on a routine refuelling mission of a USAF Boeing B-52 Stratofortress. Registered 57-0036, the B-52 was carrying a crew of eight. At an altitude of 32,000 feet, both aircraft collided in unclear circumstances and dove into the ground before crashing near Leitchfield. All four crew member on board the KC-135 were killed. On board the B-52, four crew members were killed while four others were able to bail out and were found alive. Both aircraft were destroyed upon impact.
Crew:
1st Lt Harold E. Helmick, pilot,
S/Sgt Paul E. Thomasson 2.

The crew departed Bergstrom AFB (Austin) on a B-52 refuelling mission. En route, while cruising in a low pressure area with turbulences, the airplane went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. All four crew members were killed. Brand new, the airplane has been delivered six weeks prior to the accident.
Crew:
Lt Rodney Anderlitch,
Maj Jesse Lee Myrick,
Lt Philip Camillo de Bonis,
Sgt Herman Allison Clark.

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.

On touchdown, the airplane went out of control and burst into flames. While all 12 crew members were evacuated safely, the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Shortly after takeoff from Castle AFB, while climbing, the aircraft suffered serious technical issues and crashed in a huge explosion about seven miles northwest of the airbase, near the city of Cressey. All ten crew members were killed.