Hickam AFB

Shortly after liftoff from runway 16 at Dyess AFB, while climbing to a height of about 60-100 feet, the aircraft banked right, causing the right wing to struck the ground. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in a huge explosion and was totally destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire. All 19 occupants were killed, among them army officer and family members including spouses and children.

The crew departed Pago Pago on a flight to Hickam Field, Honolulu, taking part to an observation mission of the French atmospheric nuclear tests in the Pacific. While flying in good weather conditions at an altitude of 33,000 feet and at a speed of 870 km/h, a crew member contacted ATC but the content of the message was inaudible. Five minutes later, the airplane entered a dive and crashed into the Pacific Ocean some 1,100 km southwest of Hawaii. Few debris were found floating on water and none of the 24 occupants survived the crash.
Occupants:
Donald E. Ashland,
Cpt Byron C. Burnett,
Rola F. Blanchard,
John P. Cahill,
Thomas R. Connor,
Charles V. Dito,
1st Lt James M. Gilbert,
Dean L. Hoar,
S/Sgt Kenneth Steven Kowal,
Maj John R. McGinn,
T/Sgt Hubert Miles Jr.,
Allen Moriffette,
Maj William Edward Page Jr.,
David Penney,
Lt Col Victor John Reinhart,
Cpt Perry Thomas Rose,
Col Billy L. Skipworth,
Edward M. Slagel,
Anthony J. Theriault,
John B. Tumas,
Maj william Herman Unsderfer Jr.,
Maj Joseph B. William,
S/Sgt Elno Roe Weimer.

En route from Andersen AFB (GUam Island) to Hickam, Honolulu, the crew reported engine problems and the captain decided to divert to Wake Island Airport. On short final, the aircraft was too low and struck approach lights. On impact, the empennage was torn off and the aircraft crashed in flames. Eleven passengers were killed while 45 other occupants were rescued. The aircraft was destroyed.

Suffered a ground accident at Hickam Field AFB. There were no casualties while the aircraft was destroyed.

While descending to Fairchild AFB on a flight from Hickam Field, Hawaii, the airplane was too low and the struck the slope of Mt Shadow (4,337 feet high) located 40 miles northwest of Fairchild AFB. The airplane struck trees and disintegrated on impact, killing all nine crew members.

The aircraft was on its way from McGuire AFB to Kadena, Okinawa, with intermediate stops at El Toro AFB and Hickam AFB, Honolulu. The departure from El Toro AFB was completed by night and marginal weather conditions. One minute after liftoff, during initial climb at an altitude of about 1,150 feet, the four engine aircraft struck the slope of the Loma Hill located three miles from the airfield. The aircraft struck the hill 150 feet below the summit and disintegrated on impact. None of 84 occupants survived the crash. At the time of the accident, the visibility was limited due to low clouds, light drizzle and night.

The aircraft was completing a flight from Travis AFB to Clark AFB with an intermediate stop at Hickam Field, Honolulu, carrying US soldiers and their family members. While descending to Clark AFB runway 02, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds, rain falls and a limited visibility to one mile. Five km from the runway threshold, the crew passed below the glide and the ATC in charge of the approach sent three warnings to the crew. Despite this, the pilot-in-command continued the approach and at three km from the runway threshold, the crew was instructed to go around. As the captain had the runway in sight, he neglected this order and decided to continue the approach, changed his frequency and contacted the tower when he was cleared to land. At a distance of 1,050 meters short of runway threshold, the nose gear struck a fence and the left wing struck the TACAN (Tactical Air navigation) antenna. The airplane stalled, hit the ground and slid for several yards, crossed a road where it struck a taxi and came to rest in flames 600 meters short of runway and 100 meters to the left of the extended centerline. Five crew members, among them both pilots, were injured, while all 74 passengers, five others crew members and the taxi driver were killed. Both taxi's passengers were injured as well.

While on a flight from Wake Island to Hickam AFB in Honolulu, the four engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 1,200 km west of Honolulu. No trace of the aircraft nor the nine occupants was found.

While cruising by night, the crew informed ATC about technical issues with the number three and elected to feather the propeller. In the mean time, the captain decided to divert to Hickam Field. Thirteen minutes later, the crew reported he was unable to feather the propeller that was windmilling while the engine number three was losing oil. In such condition, the captain decided to divert to Johnston atoll closer from his position. Unfortunately, shortly later, a propeller detached from the engine number three and struck the ailerons, causing serious control difficulties. The crew reduced his altitude and attempted to ditch the airplane about 200 miles northeast of the Johnston atoll. Rescuers arrived twelve hours later and were able to evacuate three wounded crew members while the aircraft sank and six other occupants were killed.

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.