Washington

Shortly after takeoff a loss of power occurred and the aircraft struck trees in flight. Less than 1/2 fuel was available in all three fuel tanks. The fuel selector valve was tested and found that the selections plate was indexed off center for all selections due to wear. In the takeoff attitude unporting occurred allowing air to be drawn into the system. The pilot escaped with minor injuries.

At 1:20 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 1987, a B-52 Stratofortress and a KC-135 Stratotanker took off from Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) to practice aerial maneuvers for a 15-minute air show scheduled on Sunday, May 17, Fairchild's annual Aerospace Day. The show was to be the debut of a new aerobatics team dubbed the Thunderhawks, the brainchild of General John T. Chain Jr., commander-in-chief of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). Its purpose was to demonstrate the capabilities of SAC’s large aircraft through a series exciting routines that included a low-level refueling simulation, high-bank turns, and flybys down the runway. Colonel Thomas J. Harris, commander of the 92nd Bombardment Wing at Fairchild AFB had been assigned the responsibility for the Thunderhawks’ creation and development in December 1986. The KC-135A-BN Stratotanker, No. 60-0361, had three instructor pilots aboard the aircraft: Lieutenant Colonel Michael W. Cornett, Captain Christopher Chapman, and Captain Frank B. Johnson. But no one on the ground at Fairchild knew who was actually in command of the aircraft when it took off. Also on board plane were two navigators, Captain James W. Litzinger and First Lieutenant Mark L. Meyers, and refueling-boom operator, Staff Sergeant Rodney S. Erks. The KC-135 had just taken off from runway 23, in tandem with the B-52, and was executing a steep left-hand turn when it suddenly rolled from an intended 45-degree bank to almost 90 degrees, stalling the two engines on the left wing. The crew managed to level the aircraft, but it was flying too low and slow to recover. The plane crashed landed in an open area north of the flightline, behind three large hangars, narrowly missing the base’s bombing and refueling squadron offices. It skidded through a security fence, across an access road, and killed Senior Master Sergeant Paul W. Hamilton, a member of the Thunderhawks on his day-off from flying, who was sitting in his car watching. The aircraft traveled for another 200 yards, then hit an unmanned weather radar tower and burst into flames. During the journey, the tail section separated from the fuselage as well as the wings, engines, and wheels. One wing, ripped off by the collision with the radar tower, landed 50 yards beyond the burning wreckage. Within minutes, Fairchild’s crash teams were on scene, fighting the fire caused by spilled jet fuel. Spokane International Airport, four miles east of the base, dispatched a crash truck and the Spokane Fire Department mobilized an entire engine company to assist in battling the blaze. Because of the toxic fumes and dangerous flare-ups, reporters and photographers were not permitted near the scene. It took firefighters more than three hours to extinguish the flames and hot-spots from the crash. Searchers found the bodies of five crewmen in the forward section of the blackened fuselage. The body of the sixth crew member was finally found late Friday night, tangled inside the cockpit wreckage. It wasn’t discovered immediately because the recovery teams were being careful to safeguard the crew compartment for the Air Force accident investigators.
Those killed were:
Cpt Christophe L. Chapman, pilot,
Lt Col Michael W. Cornett, pilot,
S/Sgt Rodney Scott Erks, refueling-boom operator,
SM/Sgt Paul W. Hamilton, refueling-boom operator,
Cpt Frank B. Johnson, pilot,
Cpt James W. Litzinger, navigator,
1st Lt Mark L. Myers, navigator.
Source: Daryl C. McClary via https://www.historylink.org/File/8871

Water bomber aircraft landed on lake with dump doors partially open during landing phase of water pickup run. Mechanically operated dump door locks were applied before dump doors were closed. Pilot controlled dump doors from pilots control wheel, copilot operated door locks by separate control independent of the dump doors. Both pilots were killed.

Aircraft was performing test flight maneuvers when problems with the modified fuel system occurred. Ice blocking a fuel vent line caused a partial collapse of the main (engine feed) fuel cell which produced an erroneous fuel quantity reading. In addition, the main tank overflow shut off valve was leaking, so tank overflow occurred. The fuel overflow caution light illuminated and auxiliary tank fuel pump feed to main automatically shut down. Due to miscalibration, this system overrode pilot attempts to restart aux fuel pumps. Pilot remained in test area troubleshooting rather than immediate return to base, finally noted main tank gage continuing to read 'full.' En route to Boeing Field, fuel starvation occurred. Pilot opted to attempt forced landing in small athletic field in residential area rather than ditch in puget sound. The aircraft touched down in intended landing area, then bounced across an adjacent street. The arresting action of telephone wires on the vertical fin brought the aircraft to rest in a residential backyard. All three occupants were injured, one seriously.

The aircraft was on a cross country trip. On previous flights over the same route, two refueling stops were made. During this trip, no refueling was accomplished, and while en route, the low fuel warning light came on. The pilot declared an emergency and was vectored and assigned the lowest possible IFR altitude. Shortly thereafter, both engines quit. When he enquired about nearby airports, the pilot was told there were none and advised to find a road or suitable area to land. The pilot overshot a road after feathering both engines and crashed on an embankment. There was no smell of fuel at the scene of the crash. Both props were in the feathered position. The pilot was injured.

The aircraft was forced to land on a road due to a fire in the left wing. During the investigation of the accident it was found that the left turbocharger had been removed and reinstalled several times. A clamp on the turbocharger exhaust was improperly installed and not aligned properly. This allowed hot gases to be diverted and blow on the firewall and melt a fuel line which started the fire. The pilot, sole on board, escaped uninjured.

The aircraft collided with a hilltop during a missed approach in IMC weather. The aircraft was on an IFR flight plan. The pilot stated visual contact was established at about 2,000 feet msl but ground features were masked in snow. When the pilot did not see the airport at the proper time he commenced a missed approach and the aircraft struck the ground. Investigation revealed that the obs (vor course indicator) was set on 222° instead of 202° for the published inbound heading. The resultant course passed directly over the accident site. The aircraft was not observed on radar because of its low alt. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

The aircraft was on a sport parachute flight to carry 24 parachutists to 12,500' over a drop zone (dz) for a mass jump. It was in a cargo configuration with no passenger seats, but it had one jump seat. There were 24 seat belts on the floor of the cargo area. Also, the cabin door had been removed and an unapproved step and 4 handholds were installed outside and forward of the cabin door for parachutists. The usual jump-run procedure was for the aircraft to be slowed to 95 to 100 knots, extend the gear and approach flaps and reduce power on the left engine. The jumpers remained in position without using seat belts until approaching the dz, then two moved outside the aircraft while others moved close to the doorway. The first jumpers were unaware of any problem, but saw the aircraft enter a steep bank, roll over and spiral nose down. 16 jumpers exited the aircraft, but three hit the stabilizer. The aircraft crashed in a near vertical descent. Investigation revealed the cg was behind the aft limit for takeoff and the jump. The elevator trim actuator was found in a position for full nose-up trim.

Before takeoff, the pilot received a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan to Idaho Falls, ID at 13,000 feet. He took off at 1804 pst. At 1814 pst, just prior to calling level at 13,000 feet, he reported he was encountering light turbulence and light rime ice. Approximately four min later, the pilot reported experiencing heavy vibrations. He requested and received a clearance to return to Portland and descend to 7,000 feet. Shortly after that, the aircraft entered a tight descending turn which the pilot reported he was having difficulty arresting. He reported regaining directional control at 6,000 feet and said the aircraft had a heavy load of ice. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft crashed in mountains at the 3,130 feet level. Due to damage from impact and wreckage retrieval, the preimpact condition of all deicing components was not verified. The aircraft was not certified for flight in known icing conditions. Moderate mixed icing condition and moderate turbulence were forecast. The pilot was briefed there had been reports of moderate icing thru-out the area. All five occupants were killed.

On approach to Lewiston Airport, Idaho, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions and decided to divert to Pullman-Moscow Airport. This alternate airport was closed to traffic due to poor weather conditions as well. On approach in snow falls, the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane hit a ridge located half a mile north of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.