Westover AFB

The airplane was on a refueling mission and departed Westover AFB at 1330LT bound for Griffiss AFB, Rome, New York. Following an uneventful mission, the crew started the descent to Griffiss AFB but was instructed to follow a holding pattern because a fighter that was short of fuel must land immediately. Twenty-five minutes later, while cruising in poor weather conditions (freezing rain and snow), the airplane struck the snowy Mt Big Shanty (701 meters high) located about 70 miles northeast of Griffiss AFB, in the Adirondack Mountain Range. Rescuers arrived on scene in the early morning of January 24. All seven crew members have been killed, among them Maj Charles D. Mellinger, pilot, and 1st Lt Fred Defrench, copilot.

While approaching Westover AFB on a flight from Bolling AFB, the crew encountered engine problems. As he lost height, the pilot-in-command elected to make an emergency landing when the airplane crashed into the Connecticut River in Holyoke, about 4 miles from the airbase. Four crew members were rescued while four others were killed.

Crashed shortly after takeoff from Thule AFB while on a flight to Westover AFB. All seven crew members were injured.

Shortly after takeoff from Thule Airbase, while climbing, the pilot informed ground about an engine failure and obtained the permission to return for an emergency landing. Following a circuit, the crew started the descent to runway 16 but encountered poor weather conditions: light snow, visibility 1,500 meters and crosswinds gusting up to 30 knots. On short final, the aircraft was too low and the left wing contacted ground. Out of control, the airplane crashed in flames and came to rest 1,2 km short of runway 16 threshold. Ten crew members were killed while five others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Shortly after takeoff from Westover AFB, while climbing to a height of 200 feet, the aircraft banked left and crashed in a huge explosion, killing all four crew members.

The four engine aircraft left Frankfurt-Main Airport at 0936LT on October 14 bound for Lajes where it landed at 1603LT. After refueling, the airplane left Lajes at 1851LT bound for Westover AFB, Massachusetts. About an hour later, the crew informed ground about technical problems with radio compas and radio altimeters and decided to return to Lajes where it landed safely at 2019LT. According to duty time and rest time, the crew decided to pass the overnight in Lajes and took off on October 15 at 0843LT bound for the US. As the aircraft failed to arrive, SAR operations were conducted but were eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the crew was found.

One minute after a night takeoff from Goose Bay, while in initial climb, the pilot encountered serious difficulties to gain height, informed ground and elected to return. Shortly later, the four engine aircraft stalled and crashed in flames in a wooded area located 13,5 km north of the airport. Six occupants were seriously injured while 23 others were killed.

While descending to Stephenville from the southwest, the four engine aircraft hit the slope of a mountain and crashed in the Anguille Mountain Range, about 60 km southwest of Stephenville. The aircraft was written off while all nine occupants were rescued.

Enroute, an engine caught fire. The crew tried to extinguish the fire, without success. Due to the situation, all seven occupants decided to bail out and abandoned the aircraft that dove into the ground and crashed in flames in a field. All seven crew members were unhurt while the aircraft was destroyed. It was confirmed that the fire spread from the engine to the wing that detached shortly later, causing the aircraft to crash.

The crew was completing a flight from Gander to Mitchell AFB, Long Island, with an intermediate stop in Westover AFB. While descending to Westover, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with low clouds and thunderstorm activity, and turn about two hours over the area for improvement. On final approach, while flying at a height of 800 feet, the aircraft hit the slope of Mt Tom (1,000 feet high) located about 8 miles northwest of the airport. The aircraft crashed about 180 feet from the summit and was totally destroyed, killing all 25 occupants.
Crew:
F/O Herman J. Valdrini Jr.,
Cpt Henry A. Lebrecht,
1Lt Wayne L. Austin,
F/O Samuel A. Turrentine,
Sgt Daniel R. Roe,
Pfc Howard E. Carson,
Pfc Eulogio Sanchez,
Pfc Rex A. Tansey.
Passengers:
Lt Frank G. Meriam,
Lt Wilfred U. Johnson,
Lt George E. Orford,
Hugh J. Worth,
Lee Winnard,
Russell S. Scott,
Alfred L. Warm,
Arnold J. Simons,
Ernest R. Gillis,
George R. Benfield,
George E. Fleming,
Arthur C. Miller,
Stanley P. Warshaw,
Gregory S. Davenport,
David F. Archilles,
Lt Pasquale P. Coviello,
Mr. Arthur Bailey (American Red Cross).