Accident Overview
The crew departed Seymour Johnson for a routine training mission. The aircraft was cruising at 28,000 feet when a structural failure occurred in the right wing. The wing partially detached and struck the horizontal stabilizer, causing the aircraft to become uncontrollable. It entered a dive.
Crew and Fatalities
The seven crew members were Captain James A. Perry, Captain Donald Exum, Captain Gregory A. Watts, Second Lieutenant Hector M. Marquez, Sergeant Ricky K. Griffith, First Lieutenant Melvin M. Bewley, and First Lieutenant Grady E. Rudolph. Four of them ejected and were found alive. Three crew members were killed: First Lieutenant Bewley, First Lieutenant Rudolph, and one additional crew member.
Wreckage and Crash Site
The aircraft crashed between Aiken and Williston, disintegrating on impact. Debris was scattered over a wide area.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that a major fuel leak led to a structural failure of the right wing. The wing separated between the third and fourth engine nacelles. The separated wing then sheared off the horizontal stabilizer, causing the aircraft to be uncontrollable.