Altus – March

On June 27, 1954 at 03:08 AM, Altus – March experienced a crash involving Boeing KC-97 Stratotanker, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Norton AFB (San Bernardino) California.

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

14 people were known to be on board, 14 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 7, crew fatalities: 7, passengers on board: 7, passenger fatalities: 7, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The crew was completing a flight from Altus, Oklahoma, to the March AFB located southeast of Riverside, California. While approaching March AFB, the crew was informed by ATC about poor weather at destination and was then vectored to Norton AFB in San Bernardino. While cruising by night at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the airplane hit the slope of Mt Box Springs located between the cities of Riverside and San Bernardino. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 14 occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration 52-2654, MSN 16685, year of manufacture 1952.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 34.0999°, -117.2543°.