Incident Overview
A midair collision involving a United States Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker, registration 61-0273, occurred during a refueling mission under the auspices of Operation Chrome Dome. The incident took place near Palomares, Spain, resulting in the destruction of both aircraft and the loss of four crew members from the KC-135.
Aircraft and Crew
The KC-135 was crewed by seven personnel. The deceased crew members are identified as 1st Lieutenant George J. Glesner, 1st Lieutenant Steven G. Montanus, and Technical Sergeant Ronald P. Snyder (three names marked with † in source). The surviving crew included Captain Charles "Charlie" Wendorf (pilot), Major Larry Messinger (pilot), Michael Rooney (copilot), and Captain Ivan Buchanan (radar navigator). The source does not specify the type or registration of the other aircraft involved.
Nuclear Weapons Incident
Following the collision, four nuclear weapons fell from the wreckage of the KC-135. One of these weapons was lost for two and a half months before being recovered from the Mediterranean Sea. No further details on the weapons' status or recovery are provided in the source.
Casualties
The crash killed four of the seven crew members aboard the KC-135. The source does not specify injuries to survivors or the status of the other aircraft's occupants.