What happened
During a refueling mission over the South China Sea, a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker was operating as part of a four-aircraft formation. The aircraft departed from Ching Chuan Kang Air Force Base in Taichung to perform its assigned duties.
As the plane was performing its initial climb shortly after departure, it experienced significant difficulty maintaining altitude. The aircraft subsequently entered a stall and descended into the ocean a few miles away from the coast. The impact with the water resulted in the total destruction of the airframe. There were four fatalities among the crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the accident concluded that the primary reason for the loss of control was windshear encountered during the climb phase.