Date & Time:
Jan 24, 1963 at 1452 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
53-0406
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Westover - Westover
MSN:
16886
YOM:
1953
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training flight out from Westover AFB. While cruising at low height, control was lost. Three crew members were able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in the Elephant Mountain Range located near Greenville. Seven crew members were killed while two survived.
Crew (99th BS):
Lt Col Dante Bulli, pilot,
Maj Robert J. Morrison, copilot, †
Cpt Gerald Adler, navigator,
Lt Col Joe R. Simpson Jr., †
Maj William W. Gabriel, †
Maj Robert J. Hill, †
Cpt Herbert L. Hansen, †
T/Sgt Michael F. O'Keefe, †
Cpt Charles G. Leuchter. †
Crew (99th BS):
Lt Col Dante Bulli, pilot,
Maj Robert J. Morrison, copilot, †
Cpt Gerald Adler, navigator,
Lt Col Joe R. Simpson Jr., †
Maj William W. Gabriel, †
Maj Robert J. Hill, †
Cpt Herbert L. Hansen, †
T/Sgt Michael F. O'Keefe, †
Cpt Charles G. Leuchter. †
Probable cause:
Failure of the stabilizer shaft broke during a low level exercise.
