Overview
A US Air Force aircraft on a training flight from Westover Air Force Base crashed in the Elephant Mountain Range near Greenville after control was lost at low altitude. Three crew members successfully bailed out before impact. Seven crew members were killed, and two survived.
Crew
The 99th Bombardment Squadron crew consisted of nine members:
- Lt Col Dante Bulli, pilot
- Maj Robert J. Morrison, copilot
- Cpt Gerald Adler, navigator (†)
- Lt Col Joe R. Simpson Jr. (†)
- Maj William W. Gabriel (†)
- Maj Robert J. Hill (†)
- Cpt Herbert L. Hansen (†)
- T/Sgt Michael F. O'Keefe (†)
- Cpt Charles G. Leuchter (†)
Those marked with a dagger (†) were among the seven fatalities.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be failure of the stabilizer shaft, which broke during a low-level exercise.