United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

While conducting a low-level route at night (training mission from Westover AFB), the airplane went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances into Lake Michigan off Charlevoix, Michigan. Few debris were found but not the wreckage. All nine occupants were killed.
Crew:
Maj Gerald W. Black, pilot,
1st Lt Dennis Ferguson, copilot,
Lt Col John M. Somonfy Jr., navigator,
Lt Col William Lemmon, navigator,
Cpt John E. Weaver, navigator,
Cpt Joel G. Hirsh, navigator,
Maj Donald F. Rosseau, EWO,
1st Lt Douglas Bachman, EWO,
T/Sgt Jerry M. Achey, air gunner.

Probable cause:

Due to lack of evidences, the cause of the accident could not be determined.

Crash of a De Havilland TU-6A Beaver in Burlington: 5 killed

Date & Time: Dec 6, 1970

Type of aircraft:

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Operator:

Registration:

51-16489

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Burlington - Laconia - Bedford - Warwick

MSN:

253

YOM:

1952

Location:

Burlington

Vermont

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

LTC Mendes of the U.S. 1st Army borrowed the plane, designated as a TU-6A from the Rhode Island Army National Guard on the previous day (Saturday) under the pretence of obtaining additional flight time for his certification. Officially, Mendes’ mission was to deliver a helicopter part to the Vermont Army National Guard. He took off from the Theodore Francis Green airport in Warwick, RI., and flew to Burlington, VT., with two stops en route – contrary to his official flight plan. At Hanscom Field in Bedford, MA., he picked up three persons – all unauthorized civilians. In Laconia, NH., they were joined by another unauthorized civilian. On arrival in Burlington, they stopped overnight. Sunday afternoon, the TU-6A Beaver took off from Burlington in a serious snow squall and shortly after lift-off LTC Mendes radioed that he was experiencing trouble with an aileron. The aircraft subsequently spun into the ground. It appears that no pre flight check was completed and the accident was caused by a build up of ice on the wings. The aircraft is reported as destroyed and the pilot and the four passengers received fatal injuries.
Source: www.dhc-2.com

Probable cause:

The aircraft stalled after takeoff due to an excessive accumulation of ice on wings and fuselage. Poor flight preparation as the aircraft was not deiced prior to departure.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider near Cam Ranh Bay: 42 killed

Date & Time: Nov 29, 1970 at 0735 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

54-0649

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Phan Rang - Cam Ranh Bay

MSN:

20098

YOM:

1954

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Ten minutes after his departure from Phan Rang Air Base, the pilot started the descent to Cam Ranh Bay via a steep valley (3 km wide and 15 km long) at an altitude of 2,700 feet via heading 30°. Shortly later, ATC instructed the crew to change heading to 100° when contact was lost. The airplane struck trees with its both wings, stalled and crashed in flames in a dense wooded area located few km from Cam Ranh Bay Airport. Rescuers arrived on the scene five days later and found two men still alive while 42 other occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was nil due to low clouds.
Crew:
Cpt Cecil Gerald Moyer,
Cpt Norbert Albert Podhajsky,
1st Lt James Francis Saxby,
S/Sgt Grayson Henry Newberry,
S/Sgt Harry Allen Watson.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider near Nha Trang: 79 killed

Date & Time: Nov 27, 1970 at 1330 LT

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

55-4574

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Saigon - Nha Trang

MSN:

20235

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While descending to Nha Trang Air Base on a flight from Saigon, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with limited visibility and a low ceiling at 2,000 feet. On approach at an altitude of 4,600 feet, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the right wing struck trees. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames in a wooded area located on the slope of a mountain, some 25 km southwest of the airport. Due to poor weather conditions and the fact that the aircraft crashed in an inaccessible area, the crash site was reached nine days later only. The wreckage was found about 150 feet below the summit and all 79 occupants have been killed. At the time of the accident, ceiling was broken at 2,000 feet and the horizontal visibility was estimated to 1,500 meters.
Crew:
1st Lt Marvin S. Arthington,
Maj Robert Lee Baker,
1st Lt Frederick M. Rader,
T/Sgt William Brandon O'Kieff,
Sgt Allen James Bodin,
A1c Frederick Richard Neff.

Probable cause:

The accident was the result of a controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Lockheed C-130E Hercules near Taipei: 43 killed

Date & Time: Oct 2, 1970 at 1407 LT

Type of aircraft:

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Operator:

Registration:

64-0536

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Taipei - Ching Chuan Kang

MSN:

4025

YOM:

1964

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The airplane departed Taipei-Songshan Airport at 1401LT bound for the Ching Chuan Kang Airbase located in Taichung. During initial climb, the crew was cleared to climb to 6,000 feet and heading 252°. Six minutes after takeoff, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (6,150 feet high) located about 30 km southeast of Taipei. The wreckage was found six days later on October 8, about 10 meters below the summit. All 43 occupants have been killed.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the crew was heading 210° at the time of the accident instead of the requested 252°. The reason of this track deviation (error of navigation) could not be determined.

Crash of a Douglas C-124C Globemaster II on Mt Pavlof: 7 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Operator:

Registration:

52-1049

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

McChord - Cold Bay

MSN:

43958

YOM:

1952

Location:

Mt Pavlof

Alaska

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

In limited visibility, the crew started the descent to Cold Bay when the four engine aircraft struck the slope of the Pavlof Volcano located 36 miles northeast of Cold Bay. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven crew members were killed. The airplane was inbound from McChord AFB, carrying seven tons of satellite observation equipment for use with the Optical Satellite Observing System. It is believed that the crew started the descent prematurely.

Crash of a Douglas C-54G-10-DO Skymaster near Homestead AFB

Date & Time: Aug 20, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Operator:

Registration:

45-0602

Flight Type:

Military

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

MSN:

36055

YOM:

1945

Location:

Homestead AFB

Florida

Country:

United States of America

Region:

North America

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances 4,7 miles northeast of Homestead AFB, south Florida. The crew fate remains unknown.

Crash of a Fairchild C-123K Provider in Cam Ranh Bay: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 10, 1970

Type of aircraft:

Fairchild C-123 Provider

Operator:

Registration:

55-4527

Flight Phase:

Landing (descent or approach)

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Yes

Site:

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Schedule:

Phan Rang – Cam Ranh Bay

MSN:

20188

YOM:

1955

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

While approaching Cam Ranh Bay Airport on a flight from Phan Rang, an engine failed. The crew lost control of the airplane that crashed few km from the airfield. A crew member survived while three others were killed.
Crew:
Maj Grant Reed Waugh, †
Cpt Dwaine Elbyrne Mattox, †
T/Sgt Bernard Francis Morrill, †
+ one crew, name unknown.

Probable cause:

Loss of control caused by an engine failure on approach.