What happened
During a mission following a routine refueling operation, two Boeing KC-135A-BN aircraft were traveling back toward their base at Homestead, Florida. The lead aircraft was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet, while the second aircraft, registered 61-0322, followed at 35,500 feet. The flight path took the planes approximately 1,125 km away from their destination.
While traversing a low-pressure weather system, the two aircraft experienced a mid-air collision. Communication and radar contact with both planes were lost at 12:30 local time. Search and rescue efforts were initiated immediately following the disappearance. Approximately twenty-four hours later, wreckage was located roughly 480 km west of Bermuda.
All 11 crew members aboard both aircraft perished in the accident.
Findings
Investigators were unable to reach a definitive conclusion regarding the precise cause of the crash due to a lack of physical evidence. However, it is suspected that the collision occurred after the lead aircraft encountered atmospheric turbulence or downdrafts, which may have caused a sudden loss of airspeed and altitude, leading to the impact with the trailing aircraft.