What happened
During a routine local training mission at Castle Air Force Base, an aircraft was performing a series of touch-and-go maneuvers. As the flight proceeded through the initial climb phase immediately after takeoff, the aircraft experienced an abrupt upward pitch.
This sudden change in attitude caused the tail to stall, leading the plane to descend rapidly and strike the runway surface. The accident resulted in six fatalities, with no survivors among the crew members on board.
Findings
- The aircraft entered a state of aerodynamic instability during the climb.
- The tail stalled following an uncontrolled pitch-up motion, which directly led to the impact on the runway.