California

The aircraft registered 124893 (VP-774) departed Los Alamitos AAF at 1548LT on a training flight with nine crew members on board. In the evening, while cruising over the Pacific Ocean, the right engine failed. The pilot-in-command increased power on the left engine but unable to maintain the assigned altitude, the captain decided to ditch the aircraft that crashed into the sea off Dana Point. Five crew members were rescued while four others were killed.

The airplane was engaged in a firefighting mission under call sign Tanker 27. Shortly after takeoff from Red Bluff Airport, while in initial climb, an engine failed. The airplane stalled, struck trees and crashed in flames. Both crew members escaped while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.

Flight 308 was scheduled between Los Angeles, and San Francisco, with intermediate stops at Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Paso Robles, California. The trip to Oxnard. and Santa Maria was routine. Takeoff from, Santa Maria was made from runway 30 with 17 passengers on board and a crew of three. A few seconds after the first power reduction following takeoff, a loud explosion was heard and fire was seen in the left engine. The left propeller was immediately feathered, the engine was shut off, and appropriate power was applied to the right engine. At the time this happened the aircraft was at an approximate altitude of 550 feet m s.l., or 300 feet above the ground. Shortly after this the fire was observed to be out; however, the airplane began to buffet. This buffeting became so severe that the aircraft lost altitude and the captain was forced to make an emergency landing about 1-1/2 miles north of the airport. The copilot was killed, the captain was seriously injured, and the purser and 17 passengers received injuries of varying degrees.

The crew was engaged in a routine flight when the left engine caught fire in flight. Shortly later, it detached from the wing and the crew decided to divert to China Lake AFB for an emergency landing. On approach, the pilot-in-command crash landed the airplane in a desert area. While there were no casualties, the airplane was written off.

The crew was completing a local training at San Francisco Airport, part of a transition program. The approach was completed with a high rate of descent and when the pilot-in-command elected to complete the flare, the four engine aircraft descended until it impacted the runway surface. The undercarriage was sheared off on impact and the airplane skidded for several yards before coming to rest in flames. All three crew members were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

During the takeoff roll, at high speed, the captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure for unknown reason. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the B52 overran and came to rest in a field. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

While cruising in marginal weather conditions at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the airplane struck trees and crashed on the slope of the Panther Peak. The aircraft was destroyed and both crew members were killed. At the time of the accident, the crew was not following the assigned route from Burbank to Seattle-Tacoma Airport for unknown reason. Apparently following a navigation error, the aircraft was 45 miles to the east from the intended route and at an insufficient altitude of 8,500 feet instead of the minimum 14,500 feet required.

The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission in the region of Pozo (16 miles east of San Luis Obispo) when the tanker crashed in unknown circumstances. Both pilots were killed.
Crew:
Arnel James Talbot Jr.,
Stuart Ashburn Kilgour.

Lost in a crash landing with VX-6 at Ontario. While taking off for an acceptance check flight at Ontario, a landing gear ski jammed and the aircraft was destroyed while attempting an emergency landing a few minutes later. There were no injuries but the aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Travis AFB, while climbing to a height of 3,000 feet, the aircraft banked left, dove into the ground and crashed in a huge explosion. Six crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. The airplane was returning to Tachikawa, Japan, after a major overhaul at the Douglas Aircraft plant in Long Beach.
Crew:
Maj Henderson Cagle, †
Cpt Robert E. Rogers, †
1st Lt Curtis A. Guild, †
2nd Lt Robert Distefano, †
T/Sgt Carroll D. Coziah, †
S/Sgt Raymond L. Hart, †
S/Sgt Ivan J. Wiebold,
A2c Charles R. Vance.