8 fatalities

USAF Plane Lost During Sky Shield II Exercise Off Newfoundland (58-0196)

Atlantic Ocean, WorldFlight

On October 15, 1961, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress (registration 58-0196) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Atlantic Ocean, World in flight. 8 people were killed. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-12Data APIEditorial standards

A USAF aircraft participating in the Sky Shield II exercise over the Atlantic Ocean went out of control and crashed into the ocean off Newfoundland. Search and rescue operations found no trace of the aircraft or its eight crew members.

Incident

A crew from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base departed to participate in the 'Sky Shield II' exercise over the Atlantic Ocean under the flight code 'Pogo 22'. While cruising at night off the coast of Newfoundland, the aircraft went out of control and crashed into the ocean under unknown circumstances. Search and rescue missions were conducted but were eventually suspended as no trace of the aircraft or its crew was found.

Crew

The crew, assigned to the 4241st Strategic Wing, consisted of:

  • Captain Roland C. Starke Jr., pilot
  • 1st Lieutenant Kenneth L. Payne, pilot
  • Captain Paul D. Fellows Jr., radar navigator
  • Lieutenant Richard C. Wiksell, navigator
  • Lieutenant Dean A. Upp, electronic warfare officer
  • Staff Sergeant Helmut Christ, gunner
  • Airman First Class Francis B. Jones, maintenance specialist
  • Lieutenant Gary W. Sprague, navigator