Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

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.

Following a steep approach at Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in crosswind conditions, the four engine aircraft landed hard. Upon landing, it went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. Six crew members were killed while 10 others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

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

The crew was performing a local training mission at Altus AFB. After landing, smoke spread in the cockpit and a fire erupted. The crew immediately stopped the aircraft and the runway and evacuated the cabin safely. There were no injuries while the aircraft was totally destroyed by fire.

For unknown reasons, the four engine aircraft landed hard and bounced. It became airborne again and went out of control before crashing onto a hill. All four crew members were killed.

The crew was dispatched at Beale AFB to follow a training program. Following several touch-and-go maneuvers, the crew started a new approach when the aircraft became unstable on final. The instructor allowed the pilot-in-command to continue the approach when the engine n°1 struck the runway surface, caught fire and exploded. Out of control, the airplane banked left and crashed, bursting into flames. All seven crew members were killed.

The crew departed Eielson AFB southeast of Fairbanks on a training mission in the region of Valdez under callsign Mary 24. Following two successful approaches under MLS procedure, the crew started a third approach about four miles north of the prescribed MLS inbound course. While descending too low in poor visibility, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain and crashed. SAR operations were initiated but eventually abandoned few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the three occupants was found. The wreckage was recovered by walkers on August 2, 1985.

The four engine airplane departed Kenneth Ingalls Sawyer AFB on a flight to Chicago-O'Hare Airport, carrying 23 passengers and a crew of four. After being cleared to descend from 22,000 feet to 8,000 feet, the crew reduced his speed when at an altitude of 13,700 feet, at a speed of 313 knots, the airplane suffered an in-flight explosion. Both wings detached, all four engines separated as well as the stabs and out of control, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed in an open field located in Greenwood, about 37 miles northwest of Chicago Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 27 occupants were killed.

The KC-135A aircraft departed Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport at 0755 MST for a scheduled 3-hour and 30-minute flight. After completing the navigation leg, the aircraft descended into the Phoenix area for transition at Luke AFB. After completing one TACAN approach at Luke AFB, the KC-135A aircraft was vectored to Phoenix-Sky Harbor International Airport for an ILS touch-and-go landing. The aircraft was then vectored back to the final approach course for a TACAN runway 03 left approach at Luke AFB. The KC-135A aircraft was cleared for the approach to Luke AFB, and after the final approach fix radio call, a midair collision occurred with a Grumman American Yankee civilian aircraft. The empennage of the KC-135A separated, rendering the aircraft incapable of flight and it was destroyed upon ground impact. The Grumman American Yankee aircraft was destroyed during the midair collision. The four crew members in the KC-135A and the two civilians in the Grumman American Yankee were fatalities.
Crew:
LT Col James N. Floor,
Lt Col Ted L. Beam,
Maj Truman R. Young Jr.,
T/Sgt Donald J. Plough.

On 6 May 1981, EC-135N, Serial Number 61-0328, call sign AGAR 23, departed Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, at 1005 Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT) on a routine training mission. On board the aircraft were 17 crewmembers and four authorized passengers. The flight proceeded uneventfully as planned for approximately 45 minutes. Then in a few brief moments, a sequence of very rapid events resulted in a crash with the loss of all onboard. At 1049:48 EDT, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lost radar contact with AGAR 23. The aircraft was cruising at Flight Level 290, at .78 Mach while performing a navigational training leg. The aircraft commander, Capt Emilio, occupied the right pilot seat and a passenger, Mrs. Emilio, occupied the left pilot seat. Also in the crew compartment were the 2 navigators, Lt Col Frederick and Capt Fonke, and 2 passengers, Mrs. Fonke and SSgt Brundige. For undetermined reasons, the aircraft pitch trim moved to the full nose-down position. The aircraft then a rapidly pitched over, most likely upon release of the autopilot, and induced sufficient negative "G" forces to cause the generators to trip off line, resulting in the loss of all AC electrical power. The pitch trim could not then be moved electrically. This condition, while unusual, can be controlled if prompt corrective action is taken; however, if corrective action is delayed approximately 8 seconds, the aircraft pitch angle will be greater than 30 degrees nose-down in the airspeed in excess of 350 knots indicated airspeed. Under these conditions, the aircraft cannot be controlled until the pitch trim is moved toward neutral. While it is evident that recovery was delayed, the reason for the delay is unknown. The aircraft became uncontrollable and entered a steep descent. During the rapid descent, an explosion occurred at approximately 1300 feet above ground level followed immediately by catastrophic failure, and complete break-up of the aircraft. The wreckage was found north of Walkersville and all 21 occupants were killed.