The crew departed Seymour Johnson for a routine training mission. While cruising at an altitude of 28,000 feet, a structural failure occurred in the right wing that partially detached and struck the horizontal stabilizer. Out of control, the airplane entered a dive and four of the seven crew members were able to eject and were later found alive. The aircraft crashed between Aiken and Williston and disintegrated. Debris scattered on a wide area and three crew members were killed. Crew: Cpt James A. Perry, Cpt Donald Exum, Cpt Gregory A. Watts, 2nd Lt Hector M. Marquez, Sgt Ricky K. Griffith, † 1st Lt Melvin M. Bewley, † 1st Lt Grady E. Rudolph. †
Probable cause (official findings): A major fuel leak caused a structural failure of the right wing that separated between the third & fourth engine nacelles. The wing then shearing off the horizontal stabilizer, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.