It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the physical loss of the stabilizer which detached during the sharp turn, maybe due to overload.
— NTSB Determination
The crew departed Castle AFB on a training mission. After completing a simulated emergency descent from FL390 to FL230, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn when control was lost. The airplane crashed on Mt Lassen and was totally destroyed. All nine crew members were killed.
Probable cause (official findings): It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the physical loss of the stabilizer which detached during the sharp turn, maybe due to overload.
The crew departed Castle AFB on a training mission. After completing a simulated emergency descent from FL390 to FL230, the pilot-in-command initiated a sharp turn when control was lost. The airplane crashed on Mt Lassen and was totally destroyed. All nine crew members were killed. Probable cause (official findings):…
The accident was fatal, resulting in 9 fatalities.
The accident on 1968-07-30 involved a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker, registration 56-3655, operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947), at Mt Lassen, United States of America.
It was determined that the loss of control was the consequence of the physical loss of the stabilizer which detached during the sharp turn, maybe due to overload.
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