What happened
During a flight over the South China Sea, two B-52 aircraft were flying in formation as they prepared for aerial refueling. The aircraft were executing a holding circuit to wait for an approaching KC-135 tanker. During this maneuver, the two bombers collided in mid-air. The impact caused both planes to crash into the sea at a location approximately 400 km away from the Vietnamese coastline.
Findings
- The collision occurred while the aircraft were in a holding pattern awaiting refueling.
- Onboard the aircraft with registration 57-0179, there were five fatalities among the crew, while six other occupants were successfully rescued.
- Onboard the aircraft with registration 57-0047, the accident resulted in three fatalities, though three additional crew members were evacuated from the wreckage.