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Crash of a Lockheed C-141A-LM Starlifter near Peterborough: 18 killed

Date & Time: Aug 28, 1976 at 1240 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
67-0006
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McGuire - Mildenhall - Torrejón
MSN:
300-6259
YOM:
1967
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
14
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
14989
Circumstances:
The Starlifter registered 67-0006 had a recent history of weather radar problems. It had been written up by crew members eight times previously. On the day of the accident the maintenance crewman, unaware of the previous problems, checked the radar. It seemed to be working, so it was signed off as "Ops Check Okay". Shortly after takeoff from McGuire AFB, the crew noticed that the radar was inoperative. Since severe weather was not forecast, they elected to continue to RAF Mildenhall, UK. Two hours after takeoff, British forecasters issued a SIGMET for "Moderate to occasional severe clear air turbulence from FL240 to FL400", but the crew never got this report. Four hours after takeoff the crew updates the weather forecast. They receive a weather forecast of "3/8 at 3000 feet, 4/8 at 4000 feet with an intermittent condition of wind 030/12 gusting 22, visibility five miles in thunderstorms, 2/8 at 2000 feet 5/8 at 2500 feet". The crew then attempted to get an update one hour from Mildenhall, but was unable to contact the base. Another station reported "4/8 Thunderstorms tops to FL260". During the enroute decent they entered the clouds. At FL150, they requested vectors around the weather. Because the primary radar was inoperative, the controller advised that he would have difficulty providing avoidance vectors. The aircraft then entered the leading edge of a very strong line of thunderstorm cells. One estimate indicated they encountered a 100 mph downward vertical airshaft. The right wing had failed, followed quickly by the upper half of the vertical stabilizer, and the four engines.
Source: C-141 Lifetime Mishap Summary / Lt. Col. Paul M. Hansen
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to severe atmospheric turbulences in thunderstorm activity.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382B-10C Hercules at McGuire AFB: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 10, 1970 at 2130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9248R
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Wright Patterson – McGuire – Dover
MSN:
4221
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
16586
Captain / Total hours on type:
11735.00
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a cargo flight from Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, to Dover AFB, Delaware, with an intermediate stop at McGuire AFB, New Jersey, on behalf of the US Air Force. On final approach, the crew encountered low visibility due to fog. While transiting from IFR to VFR on short final, the airplane went out of control, struck the ground and crashed 5,470 feet short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three crew members were killed.
Probable cause:
Improper IFR operation on part of the pilot-in-command who suffered a spatial disorientation on final approach. The following factors were reported:
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Instruments-misread or failed to read,
- Company dispatch,
- Weather slightly worse than forecast,
- The crew was disoriented by lite glare,
- Fog during transition from IFR to VFR.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing C-135B-BN Stratolifter in Guantánamo Bay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Oct 23, 1962
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
62-4136
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
McGuire - Guantánamo Bay
MSN:
18476
YOM:
3
Country:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Aircraft flight hours:
150
Circumstances:
On final approach to Guantánamo Bay NAS, the aircraft was too low. One of the wing struck the ground 1,000 feet short of runway 09 threshold. Out of control, the aircraft crashed in flames, killing all seven crew members.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-30-CU Commando at McGuire AFB

Date & Time: Feb 13, 1960
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N46Q
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Louisville – McGuire
MSN:
26684
YOM:
1943
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
54
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The Curtiss was being used for a civil air movement of military personnel from Louisville to McGuire AFB. En route, in the Elkins-Charleston area light to moderate icing occurred. This required the use of wing deicers and propeller anti-icers. Shortly after passing Baltimore the same weather conditions were encountered which required a power setting of 2400 rpm and 38" manifold pressure. The plane lost altitude, which forced the crew to apply METO power setting of 2600 rpm and 45" manifold pressure. During the final (GCA) approach to McGuire AFB the plane stalled and crash-landed 1200 feet short of the runway threshold. Both engines were sheared off on impact.
Probable cause:
Crew failed to maintain an accurate log of the flight as pertains to flight planning/fuel consumption/fuel requirements.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster in Norwalk: 42 killed

Date & Time: Feb 1, 1958 at 1913 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-3277
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Long Beach – McGuire
MSN:
44648
YOM:
1955
Flight number:
USAF30W/02
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
35
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
42
Captain / Total flying hours:
7819
Captain / Total hours on type:
1448.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
701
Copilot / Total hours on type:
439
Circumstances:
The four engine aircraft departed Long Beach Airport at 1908LT bound for McGuire AFB, New Jersey, with 35 passengers and a crew of six on board. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot was cleared to climb to the assigned altitude of 17,000 feet. About five minutes later, while climbing to an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane collided with a USN Lockheed P2V-5F Neptune registered 127723. Carrying eight crew members, the Neptune has taken off from Los Alamitos NAS and was completing a local training mission. Following the collision, both aircraft went out of control, dove into the ground and crashed in Norwalk. The Liftmaster crashed on several building and a fuel station, killing all 41 occupants and one woman on the ground. The Neptune crashed in a stone-pit located about 2.5 miles north of the C-118 crash site. Six crew members were killed while two others were seriously injured. The accident occurred by night but in good weather conditions with a visibility above 15 miles.
Probable cause:
It was determined that the collision occurred in an uncontrolled area. Both crews were considered as co-responsible of the accident as they failed to take the appropriate measures to avoid each other and to pay attention to potential traffic. The crew of the C-118 was blamed not giving the priority to the Neptune which was flying to his right.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster at McGuire AFB: 46 killed

Date & Time: Jul 13, 1956 at 1537 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-3301
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
McGuire – Stephenville – Lakenheath
MSN:
44672
YOM:
1955
Flight number:
A441/13
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
56
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
46
Captain / Total flying hours:
4183
Captain / Total hours on type:
1137.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1454
Copilot / Total hours on type:
642
Circumstances:
The Liftmaster was engaged in a transatlantic flight from McGuire (Fort Dix) Airbase to Lakenheath, UK, with an intermediate stop at Stephenville. Less than two minutes after takeoff from McGuire AFB runway 24, while climbing, the four engine aircraft encountered poor weather conditions, stalled and crashed in a dense wooded area located 1,4 mile from the airfield. Eight crew members and 38 passengers, among them civilians, were killed while 20 other occupants were injured.
Probable cause:
It was reported that weather conditions were poor at the time of the accident with thunderstorm activity around the McGuire Airbase, a horizontal visibility of 1,500 meters, clouds from 600 to 1,800 feet and wind gusting up to 30 knots with turbulences. The assumption that the aircraft encountered strong downdraft caused by a micro-burst was not ruled out.

Crash of a Douglas C-118A Liftmaster at McGuire AFB

Date & Time: Mar 31, 1955
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
53-3230
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
44601
YOM:
1954
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing. There were no casualties but the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-80-DL in McGuire AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 1, 1951
Operator:
Registration:
43-15144
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Scott - McGuire
MSN:
19610
YOM:
1944
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
24
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
During the final approach completed in foggy conditions, the aircraft hit the ground and crashed half a mile south of the airbase. Five passengers were killed.