Seoul – Tachikawa

On February 22, 1957 at 07:56 PM, Seoul – Tachikawa experienced a crash involving Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Seoul-Gimpo Seoul (<U+C11C><U+C6B8>).

The flight was categorized as military and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

159 people were known to be on board, 22 fatalities were recorded, 137 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 13.8%.

Crew on board: 10, crew fatalities: 3, passengers on board: 149, passenger fatalities: 19, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. Shortly after takeoff from runway 32 at Seoul-Gimpo Airport, while in initial climb, a propeller blade on the engine number three detached, struck the fuselage and penetrated the cabin, killing four passengers instantly. Doing so, the ailerons and rudder cables were cut. Before the crew would be able to shot down the engine number three and to feather its propeller, both other blades detached and struck the engine number four. The crew contacted ATC and received the permission for an emergency landing on runway 14. Shortly later, the airplane went out of control and crashed in flames in a canal located near the Han River, about 15 km north of the airport. 24 people were injured while 113 other were unhurt. Unfortunately, 22 occupants were killed, among them three crew member of which both pilots. Those killed were: Sp2 Francisco Aguilar, Sp3 Eugene T. Arold, 2nd Lt Bruce E. Barstow, Maj Ansel L. Boiter, pilot, 1st Lt Frederick L. Boudreau, Pfc Stephen A. Bowcock, Pfc Caldwell Brown Jr., Pfc Merle J. Brown, Pfc J. L. Collaro-Gonzalez, 2nd Lt Edwin Harold Glass, Pfc George A. Hills, Gerald Junkroski, Sp3 Avery L. Meeker, Sgt Ralph Edward Myers, Cpt Robert L. North, copilot, Cpt Andrew L. Opiela, Sfc Lewis P. Partin, 1st Lt Jack G. Stone, Pfc Jan Martin Wallis, 1st Lt Paul B. Warner, M/Sgt Joe Neal White, Sfc Harry E. Witherell.

Aircraft reference details include registration 51-0141, MSN 43475, year of manufacture 1951.