Country
Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune near Lake Wynoochee: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 29, 1990 at 1359 LT
Registration:
N65170
Survivors:
No
MSN:
826-8025
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
Tanker 08
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
A Cessna 172N registered N738AQ crashed in the Olympic National Forest earlier that day and a fire erupted. The crew was dispatched in the region of Lake Wynoochee to proceed in a fire fighting mission. After the retardant was dropped, the crew initiated a climb when control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a wooded area located near the Wynoochee Dam. Both pilots were killed.
Crash of a Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune in the White Sands Missile Range: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Sep 10, 1987 at 1530 LT
Registration:
N96271
Survivors:
No
MSN:
426-5315
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
At approximately 3:00 p.m. on September 10, 1987, the Army called Black Hills Aviation to suppress a fire started by a FAADS missile. The missile was fired more than two hours before the crash. A P2V aircraft, Forest Service Number N96271 ["Tanker 07"], owned by Black Hills, was dispatched in response to the request for aerial fire suppression. Tanker 07 was piloted by Nathan Kolb and co-piloted by Woodard Miller, employees of Black Hills Aviation who were not Department of Defense personnel. Tanker 07 obtained authorization to enter the missile range's airspace from the missile range air controller. During the flight, Tanker 07 crashed on the missile range and both pilots were killed. The crash site was located approximately fifteen miles into the interior of the missile range, and was inside the testing site for the FAADS Project.
Probable cause:
Following the crash, an attorney from the Army Judge Advocate General's [JAG] Office at the missile range ordered markers to be placed at the crash site, and aerial photographs were taken. At that time, the Army JAG Officer anticipated litigation regarding the crash. Personnel at the missile range contacted the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB] and the Army Safety Center in Fort Rucker, Alabama, and inquired whether either of these entities wished to investigate the crash. The NTSB replied that it was not interested in investigating, but would do so if specifically requested to do so by the missile range. Neither entity actually investigated the crash. Colonel Gary Epperson of the missile range was appointed to conduct an Army Regulation 15-6 Collateral Investigation into the facts and circumstances of the crash. The scope of the AR 15-6 investigation encompassed only the activities of the Army in regard to the crash of Tanker 07, and did not seek to determine the precise cause of the crash. Colonel Epperson's investigation consisted of viewing the crash scene, meeting with eyewitnesses to the crash, and asking for written statements.
Final Report:
Crash of a Boeing B-17G-DL Flying Fortress in Socorro: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Jul 12, 1972 at 1605 LT
Registration:
N73648
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Alamogordo - Alamogordo
MSN:
32505
YOM:
1944
Flight number:
Tanker 56
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
325.00
Circumstances:
The crew departed Alamogordo on a fire fighting mission in the region of Socorro. During a second pass at low altitude, the airplane contacted trees and crashed in flames. Both pilots were killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot misjudged altitude and clearance. Witnesses stated that the pilot was too low on the second slurry run.
Final Report:
