Date & Time:
Sep 3, 1975
Type of aircraft:
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
Operator:
Registration:
57-6493
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Seymour Johnson - Seymour Johnson
MSN:
464198
YOM:
1957
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
3
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The crew departed Seymour Johnson for a routine training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, a structural failure occurred in the right wing that partially detached and struck the horizontal stabilizer. Out of control, the airplane entered a dive and four of the seven crew members were able to eject and were later found alive. The aircraft crashed between Aiken and Williston and disintegrated. Debris scattered on a wide area and three crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt James A. Perry,
Cpt Donald Exum,
Cpt Gregory A. Watts,
2nd Lt Hector M. Marquez,
Sgt Ricky K. Griffith, †
1st Lt Melvin M. Bewley, †
1st Lt Grady E. Rudolph. †
Crew:
Cpt James A. Perry,
Cpt Donald Exum,
Cpt Gregory A. Watts,
2nd Lt Hector M. Marquez,
Sgt Ricky K. Griffith, †
1st Lt Melvin M. Bewley, †
1st Lt Grady E. Rudolph. †
Probable cause:
A major fuel leak caused a structural failure of the right wing that separated between the third & fourth engine nacelles. The wing then shearing off the horizontal stabilizer, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.
