Homestead - Homestead

Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0322 and carrying a crew of five. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.

Flight / Schedule

Homestead - Homestead

Registration

61-0319

MSN

18226

Year of Manufacture

1962

Date

August 28, 1963 at 12:30 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Refuelling

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Crash Location

Atlantic Ocean All World

Region

World • World

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On August 28, 1963 at 12:30 PM, Homestead - Homestead experienced a crash involving Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Atlantic Ocean All World.

The flight was categorized as refuelling and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

6 people were known to be on board, 6 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 6, crew fatalities: 6, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0322 and carrying a crew of five. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration 61-0319, MSN 18226, year of manufacture 1962.

Fatalities

Total

6

Crew

6

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

Following an uneventful refuelling mission of a Boeing B-47, the Stratotanker was returning to its base at Homestead, south Florida, some 1,125 km from its position. It was flying with a second USAF Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker registered 61-0322 and carrying a crew of five. The first KC-135 was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet while the second was following at an altitude of 35,500 feet. En route, both airplanes went into a low pressure area and apparently collided. All contacts were lost at 1230LT. SAR operations were conducted and some debris were found a day later some 480 km west of Bermuda. All 11 crew members were killed.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

6

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 6

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Homestead - Homestead

Flight Type

Refuelling

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Region / Country

World • World

Aircraft Details

Registration

61-0319

MSN

18226

Year of Manufacture

1962