What happened
During a night training mission departing from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the four-engine airplane lost control and entered an uncontrolled descent. The aircraft impacted Bassett Peak within the Galiuro Mountains, located northeast of Tucson. Search and rescue operations were initiated immediately but suspended after several days due to the inability to locate any debris or personnel. Approximately two months later, wreckage was discovered in a remote area of the mountain range. All 11 crew members were killed in the incident.
Findings
The official accident report attributed the crash to pilot error. However, the initial investigation noted that the tail section was missing from the primary wreckage site. Years after the event, the tail component was recovered several kilometers away from the main impact zone. This discovery has led to speculation that an inflight structural failure may have been the underlying cause of the loss of control, rather than human error alone.