What happened
During a routine local training mission conducted at Travis Air Force Base, an aircraft was performing several circuits when an accident occurred. While attempting a new approach toward runway 21L, the pilot-in-command encountered difficult weather conditions. During this phase of flight, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control.
The plane impacted the ground approximately 0.8 miles before reaching the runway threshold. The impact resulted in a massive explosion that completely destroyed the airframe. There were nine fatalities among the crew members on board, with no survivors reported from the nine-person flight crew.
Findings
Investigations into the event indicate that the accident took place while the aircraft was operating in poor weather conditions, which coincided with the loss of control during the approach to the runway.