United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947)

Shortly after takeoff from McConnell AFB, while climbing to a height of 500-700 feet, the captain sent a first distress call while the aircraft experienced a large amount of yaw. The crew elected to return for a safe landing and began to dump large quantities of fuel from the aircraft's refueling tanks. Shortly after this, the aircraft made a hard bank to the left, and began to enter a roll. Out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed at the intersection of Piatt and 20th Street, just three minutes after takeoff, some 7 miles north-northwest of the airbase. The aerial refueling aircraft was loaded with 31,000 US gallons of jet fuel and the crash resulted in a large explosion and subsequent fire, which engulfed dozens of homes. The accident killed all seven crew members on board the aircraft and 23 people on the ground. In addition, 27 other people on the ground sustained injuries, three of which were serious. It was reported that the crew entry door was jettisoned and a B-52 Stratofortress bomber, which took off prior to the KC-135, may have blown a detached drag chute from an F-105 Thunderchief against the departing aircraft.

Shortly after a night takeoff from Wake Island, while climbing to a height of 500 feet, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 4,5 km off shore. All six crew members were killed.

The aircraft departed Loring AFB at 0900LT for a six hour training mission. Shortly after takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane suffered severe turbulences and the number three engine drag brace failed due to a missing nut. The engine swung up in front of the wing, causing a severe roll to the left. The aggressive control inputs in an attempt to level the aircraft resulted in both the #3 and #4 engines separating from the wing. The aircraft then entered a 90° right bank, plunges into the earth and crashed in a wooded area located 2,4 miles north of the runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt Kenneth Gomes, pilot,
Cpt Matthew Ramstsch, copilot,
1st Lt John McCarron, navigator,
S/Sgt Jimmy Tardie, boom operator.

Crashed on final approach to Gila Bend Airport, killing all four crew members.

The crew was engaged in a local training flight at Stephenville-Ernest Harmon Airport. Following several circuits, the crew started a night approach to runway 09 with a tailwind component. Apparently due to a wrong approach configuration, the airplane landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, the pilot feathered the propeller on two engines but the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, struck several approach lights and eventually came to rest in a pond located short of runway 27 threshold. All five crew members were killed.

The four engine aircraft was carrying a crew of 11 who was completing a local training flight at Fort Worth-Greater Southwest Airport on behalf of the Air National Guard. They were on a four hour training flight, making touch and go landings. Four such landings were completed without incident. During the fifth approach, the airplane was too low, struck an embankment short of runway, broke up, skidded on the runway and burst into flames. Four crew members were killed while seven others were injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Crew:
Maj Henry C. Smyth,
M/Sgt Roy R Sypert, †
M/Sgt Robert E. Weeks, †
T/Sgt Emil J. Trojacek, †
S/Sgt Charles W. Elmore, †
Maj Charles D. Foran,
Maj Charles S. Chester,
Cpt James W. Kumpf,
1st Lt Richard Yeates,
M/Sgt Frank D. Hutchinson,
M/Sgt Hoyt E. Moore.

Crashed while on night low‑level mission in Montana. Mission was to make two low-level entry points for training a new navigator and testing ground avoidance equipment. The first entry point was the Flint Rock Oil Burner Run where plane was flying a most level flight path missing the first knoll at 2550' elevation, continued until contacting a second knoll approximately 300' farther on the line of flight where plane disintegrated. The wreckage was found near Jordan, about 60 miles south of Glasgow.
Crew:
Cpt Guido J. Pizzeck Jr., pilot,
Cpt Willis C. Morris, copilot,
Cpt John H. Pulliam, navigator,
Cpt Jerry W. Berendzen, navigator,
1st Lt Daniel C. Woodward, EWO,
1st Lt David L. Harlan, navigator,
T/Sgt Edwin Fonzy Arlington, air gunner.

The ill-fated aircraft that crashed was a Douglas C-133A Cargomaster s/n 56-2014 from Military Air Transport Service’s 1st Air Transport Squadron, based at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. It arrived at Goose Bay 01:55 hours local time. After a 15-hour crew rest, they proceeded to depart enroute to Thule Air Base, Greenland with a stop enroute at Sondrestrom Air Base, also in Greenland. They were loaded with meat and other provisions. The first departure attempt was delayed due to a technical issue. The aircraft sat for a period of time without being de-iced before making a second try. At between 120 and 150 feet, the aircraft’s starboard (right) wing suddenly dropped 20 to 30 degrees. The aircraft commander managed to momentarily regain a level attitude. The aircraft then rolled to the left. The port wing dropped even more quickly and was almost vertical. The aircraft commander was unable to do anything. At 16:49 hrs local time, the Cargomaster struck the ground in a left wing down, nose high attitude.
Crew:
1st Lieutenant Guy L. Vassalotti, pilot,
Cpt Charles L. Jenkins, copilot,
Maj Frank X. Hearty, copilot,
1st Lt Douglas H. Brookfield, navigator,
T/Sgt John. A. Kitchens, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Norman H. Baron, flight engineer,
A1c Shelton Toler, loadmaster.

Five Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker planes were scheduled to take off from Pease AFB as part of an airborne refueling training mission. The first three took off successfully, however the forth aircraft crashed and exploded on take off, scattering debris across the Pease golf course, and nearby Route 101. All five crewmen aboard were killed. Two civilians, a mother and her daughter, were slightly burned when the accident occurred. They had been sitting in a car on Route 101 watching the aircraft take off.
Crew (100th Air Refueling Squadron):
Cpt Robert L. Thompson, pilot,
Cpt Michael P. Valavon, copilot,
1st Lt Larry C. Dennis, navigator,
S/Sgt Gerald W. Schulz, boom operator,
S/Sgt Richard E. Towle, flight engineer.

The crew departed Nha Trang on an ammunition supply mission. While overflying Vietnam, the airplane was struck by enemy fire, went out of control and eventually crashed in an uninhabited area located in Phum Dak Dam, in south of Cambodia, bear the border with Vietnam. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all eight crew members were killed.
Crew (315 TCG):
Cpt Edward Stephen Krukowski,
1st Lt Valmore William Bourque,
1st Lt Robert George Armstrong,
S/Sgt Ernest Joseph Halvorson,
S/Sgt Theodore Bert Phillips,
A1c Eugene Richardson,
S/Sgt Lawrence Woods,
Pfc Charles Pierce Sparks.