Ground explosion of a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker at Pease AFB

Date & Time: Jan 11, 1990 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
59-1494
Flight Phase:
Parking
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
17982
YOM:
1960
Location:
Pease AFB (Portsmouth)
New Hampshire
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
While parked at Pease AFB and under maintenance, the aircraft suffered several explosions and caught fire. Two mechanics evacuated safely and the aircraft was destroyed by fire. It is believed the aircraft caught fire as it was being prepared for refueling and had a little fuel on board.

Crash of a Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker at Pease AFB: 5 killed

Date & Time: Nov 5, 1964
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker
Operator:
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Refuelling
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Pease - Pease
Location:
Pease AFB (Portsmouth)
New Hampshire
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
Five Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker planes were scheduled to take off from Pease AFB as part of an airborne refueling training mission. The first three took off successfully, however the forth aircraft crashed and exploded on take off, scattering debris across the Pease golf course, and nearby Route 101. All five crewmen aboard were killed. Two civilians, a mother and her daughter, were slightly burned when the accident occurred. They had been sitting in a car on Route 101 watching the aircraft take off.
Crew (100th Air Refueling Squadron):
Cpt Robert L. Thompson, pilot,
Cpt Michael P. Valavon, copilot,
1st Lt Larry C. Dennis, navigator,
S/Sgt Gerald W. Schulz, boom operator,
S/Sgt Richard E. Towle, flight engineer.

Crash of a Boeing KC-97G Stratotanker in Andover: 7 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1959 at 0200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker
Operator:
Registration:
52-2703
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Training
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Pease - Pease
MSN:
16734
YOM:
1952
Flight number:
Cutoff 17
Location:
Andover
New Hampshire
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
The crew was performing a refuelling training mission out from Pease AFB, New Hampshire. While flying by night at an altitude of 15,000 feet, the airplane bank left, went into a dive and eventually crashed in a field located 1,3 mile south of Andover. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all seven crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt James White, pilot,
1st Lt Dean Holzworth, copilot,
1st Lt Harold High, navigator,
T/Sgt Owen Combs, flight engineer,
T/Sgt Jake Schmidt, boom operator,
T/Sgt Marion Ackermand, Scanner
A3c Phillip Darst, scanner.
Source:
http://andoverbeacon.com/index.php/12064/site-of-1959-plane-crash-receives-an-american-flag/
Probable cause:
The Air Force Accident Investigation Board determined after a thorough investigation that the cause of the crash was due to a loss of lubrication to the bearings in the #4 engine turbo supercharger. That led to a failure of the turbo supercharger shaft. The turbine, once unloaded, accelerated to destruction and caused the uncontained catastrophic fire, due to what would presumably have been severed fuel lines or punctured tanks in the wing.
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