What happened
During a scheduled training mission departing from Westover AFB, the flight crew experienced a significant mechanical failure when the aircraft's radome became detached while in flight. Following this structural issue, the captain attempted to divert the aircraft to the closest available airfield. However, due to adverse weather conditions, air traffic control provided vectors toward Goose Bay, which was located approximately 860 miles to the northeast of the aircraft's position.
Realizing that the destination was unreachable under the circumstances, the crew made the decision to abandon the aircraft. After the crew exited the plane, the aircraft entered a dive and crashed into the Spruce swamp situated near Fremont. The impact caused the aircraft to disintegrate upon hitting the ground.
Findings
- All eight crew members successfully evacuated the aircraft and were subsequently located without any injuries.
- The primary sequence of events was initiated by the detachment of the radome during flight.