Date & Time:
May 10, 1969
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
56-0593
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Bombing
Survivors:
No
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
17276
YOM:
1956
Country:
Guam Island
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
6
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after a night takeoff from Andersen AFB, while climbing to a low height, the pilot-in-command initiated a turn to the right when control was lost. The airplane crashed into the sea few dozen yards offshore and disintegrated on impact. All six crew members were killed. They were enroute to Vietnam.
Crew:
Cpt Larry Ivan Broadhead, pilot,
1st Lt Maurice Edward Lundy, copilot,
Cpt James L. Sipes, navigator,
Cpt Russell L. Platt, radio navigator,
1st Lt Thomas R. McCormick, EWO,
M/Sgt Harold B. Deel, air gunner.
Crew:
Cpt Larry Ivan Broadhead, pilot,
1st Lt Maurice Edward Lundy, copilot,
Cpt James L. Sipes, navigator,
Cpt Russell L. Platt, radio navigator,
1st Lt Thomas R. McCormick, EWO,
M/Sgt Harold B. Deel, air gunner.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident could not be determined with certainty. However, the assumption that the loss of control was the consequence of a gyrocompas intermittent malfunction was not ruled out as well as a structural failure.
