Refuelling

En route from Kirtland AFB to Nellis AFB, the four engine airplane crashed less than three minutes after a night takeoff in a mountainous area located in the Manzano Mountain Range, about 5 miles east of Kirtland AFB. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all 20 occupants were killed. After takeoff from runway 08, ATC informed the crew about an insufficient altitude and instructed the crew to turn to the right and gain height. Shortly later, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, the airplane struck the ground and crashed on the slope of a mountain, less than 30 feet below the summit.

Just after liftoff, while in initial climb, the four engine airplane lost height and crashed in flames about 0.4 miles past the runway end. Five crew members were seriously injured while two others were killed. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was returning to Madrid-Torrejón AFB following a refuelling mission over the Mediterranean Sea. While descending to Torrejón Airbase, the crew reported his altitude at 17,000 feet on descent when the airplane disappeared from radar screens. The main wreckage and all debris were found in Centenera, about 35 km northeast of the Torrejón Airbase. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six crew members were killed.

The aircraft was part of a formation of four Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker engaged in a refuelling mission over South China Sea. Shortly after takeoff from Ching Chuan Kang AFB in Taichung, while in initial climb, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height then stalled and crashed into the sea few miles offshore. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all four crew members were killed.
Crew:
Maj Gene Thomas Wright, pilots +3.

At 12:05 on 18 May 1969 the Marine Corps KC-130F tanker departed Da Nang Air Base on a routine operational tanker mission. The aircraft continued to the Hue Phu Bai Area for the in-flight refueling mission. The tanker had departed its assigned track by and was proceeding toward the ocean before turning southeast to Da Nang. The KC-130F proceeded southbound for the Hue Phu Bai airfield area while refueling two US Marine Corps McDonnell F-4B Phantom fighter aircraft (152270 and 151450). All three aircraft were descending in a "tobogganing" maneuver while heading southbound in the vicinity of the South Vietnam Coastline. At the same time a separate USMC F-4B Phantom (151001) was heading in a generally westbound direction toward the Hue Phu Bai military area. The two aircraft approached each other nearly head on with a closing rate of approximately 700 knots true airspeed. The initial impact by the F-4B was in the vicinity of the number four engine and the starboard refueling pod on the KC-130F. The radome on the F-4B cleared the propeller on the number four engine as the cockpit initially impacted with it. The single F-4B crashed and the pilot and RIO died instantly. The KC-130F crashed into the sea. One of the refueling F-4B's was severely damaged from the initial crash debris. Phantom 151450 plugged into the starboard drogue, was sprayed with fuel and apparently ingested an undetermined amount of debris into both engines. The F-4B aircraft flipped uncontrollably to an inverted position while the drogue and a portion of the hose remained attached to the aircraft. Its engines could not sustain power and the fighter crashed at sea. Both crew members successfully ejected and were recovered. The second refueling F-4B fighter, 152270 was plugged into the port refueling drogue and sustained limited damage in the form of two small holes in the port aileron and a 1/2 inch hole in the starboard wingtip. The pilot observed the spinning tanker, and when it was apparent he could render no further assistance returned to Chu Lai Air Base without further incident.
Crew:
Maj Jimmie Dwayne Sells,
Maj John Clarence Williamson,
MGSgt Carroll Franklin Hersey,
M/Sgt Edmond Chester Polenski,
Sgt Robert Allen Bonebright,
Cpl James Allen Cox.
Source: The Marine Air Transporter

During the takeoff roll at Loring AFB, the crew encountered technical issues with the water injection system and the captain decided to abort. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran, went down an embankment and came to rest in flames, broken in two. All seven occupants were rescued while the aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was returning to his base at Ching Chuan Kang near Taichung, Taiwan, following a refuelling mission over South Vietnam. While cruising by night and in marginal weather conditions, the airplane struck the slope of a mountain (7,300 feet high) located about 75 km from Ching Chuan Kang AFB. The wreckage was found 1,500 feet below the summit and all six crew members were killed.

While taking off from U-Tapao AFB, the engine number four lost power. The airplane stalled and crashed in flames near the runway end and was destroyed by a post impact fire. All four crew members were killed.

After liftoff at Offutt AFB, the airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed in flames about a mile past the runway end. A crew member was killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The crew was returning to Amarillo Airport following a four-hour refueling mission. On final approach, the aircraft was unstable and banked left and right when it stalled and crashed in flames few dozen yards short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all five crew members were killed.