What happened
During a flight transitioning from the United Kingdom to Florida, a heavy bomber experienced a catastrophic loss of control shortly after departing Lajes Airbase in the Azores Islands. The aircraft was conducting an intermediate refueling stop at the base as part of its journey toward its destination in the United States.
As the plane entered its initial climb phase, it veered off course and impacted the sea just a few hundred yards from the shoreline. There were 16 fatalities resulting from the accident, with no survivors recovered from the wreckage. The crew and passengers on board were reportedly traveling home for the Christmas holiday following a three-month training deployment in England.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the aircraft became uncontrollable immediately after rotation. The primary factor contributing to this loss of control was strong winds encountered during the takeoff sequence.