United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Andersen - Andersen

MSN:

464010

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a night training mission out from Andersen AFB, Guam. While returning the airbase, control was lost and the airplane crashed into the sea about seven miles southeast of the airfield. Four crew members were killed while two others were rescued. The aircraft sank and was lost.
Crew:
Cpt Stephen R. Roseman, pilot, †
Jack Watson, copilot,
Robert W. Nemeth, †
Cpt Leroy E. Pitman, †
John Y. Whitley, †
Brad Lee Buske.

Probable cause:

It is believed that the loss of control was the consequence of a malfunction of the gyros after the electrical system failed.

Crash of a Lockheed WC-130H Hercules into the South China Sea: 10 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

65-0965

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Taipei - Saigon

MSN:

4106

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route from Taipei to Saigon, the airplane encountered poor weather conditions and crashed into the South China Sea. SAR operations were conducted but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 10 occupants was found. At the time of the accident, weather conditions were poor due to typhoon 'Bess'.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences as the aircraft was not found, the exact cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules at Kadena AFB

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

63-7802

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

3868

YOM:

1963

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown at Kadena AFB, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the right and came to rest. There were no injuries while the aircraft was written off.

Probable cause:

Failure of the reverse thrust system on engine n°4 after landing caused the engine to turn at full power while the reverse thrust systems run properly on engine n°1, 2 and 3.

Crash of a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy in Clinton

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Operator:

Registration:

68-0227

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Altus - Altus

MSN:

500-0030

YOM:

1970

Location:

Clinton-Regional

Oklahoma

Country:

Region:

Lockheed C-141 Starlifter

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Altus AFB in the day for a refueling training mission. En route, the pilot informed ground about technical problems and decided to divert to Clinton-Sherman Airport. For unknown reason, the crew mistook the airport and landed on runway 17 (4,300 feet long) at Clinton-Regional Airport. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, lost its landing gear and came to rest in a field, broken in three. All five crew members were rescued while the forward section was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Probable cause:

An overheated brake ignited hydraulic fluid in the left aft landing gear well. The fire ignited tires and other components before burning through the keel beam and continuing into the right aft well. This was probably caused by a problem that occurred during taxiing at Altus AFB.

Crash of a Lockheed C-141A-LM Starlifter near La Paz: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

65-0274

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Howard - La Paz

MSN:

6126

YOM:

1965

Location:

La Paz

Country:

Bolivia

Region:

South America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

16339

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a flight from Howard AFN, Panama, to La Paz. While descending to La Paz-El Alto Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility due to clouds from 700 to 24,000 feet. The crew informed ATC about his position about three minutes from La Paz VOR when he was cleared to descend from 24,000 to 18,000 feet. Shortly later, while flying at an altitude of 18,700 feet, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (20,000 feet high) located 28 km north of El Alto Airport. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all seven crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

The accident was the consequence of a controlled flight into terrain probably caused by a navigational error on part of the crew or a wrong instruments interpretation while descending in marginal weather conditions. The crew probably thought he was above the La Paz VOR when in reality, the airplane was few km to the east of this VOR.

Crash of a Boeing B-52H-135-BW Stratofortress at Wright-Patterson AFB

Date & Time: May 30, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

60-0006

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton)

Schedule:

Wright-Patterson - Wright-Patterson

MSN:

464372

YOM:

1960

Location:

Ohio

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew was completing a local training flight at Wright-Patterson AFB. On final approach, the airplane went out of control and crashed in a field. All seven crew members were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control on final approach after rudder and elevators failed.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules in Agana: 6 killed

Date & Time: Apr 20, 1974 at 2100 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

62-1841

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Agana-Antonio Borja Won Pat

Schedule:

Andersen - Agana

MSN:

3804

YOM:

1963

Location:

All Guam Island

Country:

Guam Island

Region:

Asia

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew departed Andersen AFB on a night training flight. While approaching Agana-Antonio Borja Won Pat Airport, the instructor shut down both engines n°3 & 4 and continued the approach when the airplane lost height and landed hard on runway. On impact, all tires on the right main gear burst. Out of control, the airplane veered off runway to the right, went through the apron, collided with a parked fighter then came to rest in flames against an embankment. The aircraft was destroyed and all six crew members were killed.

Crash of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at McConnell AFB: 2 killed

Date & Time: Mar 5, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

Operator:

Registration:

57-1500

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Refuelling

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

17571

YOM:

1958

Location:

McConnell AFB (Wichita)

Kansas

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Aircraft flight hours:

7434

Circumstances:

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane lost height and crashed in flames about 0.4 miles past the runway end. Five crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

Probable cause:

Loss of control following an engine failure.

Crash of a Rockwell T-39A Sabreliner near Colorado Springs: 7 killed

Date & Time: Feb 9, 1974

Type of aircraft:

Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner

Operator:

Registration:

60-3506

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Colorado Spings - McClellan

MSN:

265-34

YOM:

1960

Location:

Colorado Springs

Colorado

Country:

Region: