Aircraft Stall During Low-Altitude Dropping Mission (63-9761)

Incident Overview During a dropping mission, the aircraft was operating at a low altitude and reduced speed when it entered a stall. The aircraft subsequently struck trees and crashed in a wooded area. The accident resulted in the deaths of two crew members and injuries to two others. The fatalities were identified as Captain Kenneth James Hoffman and Airman First Class Gary Raymond McKendrick. ## Official Findings The official investigation determined that the probable cause of the accident was a stall caused by operating at too low a speed at too low an altitude during the dropping mission.