What happened
The incident occurred during a scheduled flight from Seoul-Kimpo to Tachikawa AFB. The aircraft was carrying several US officers and five civilians among its total complement. While executing a night approach from the southwest, the crew completed a turn at an altitude of 1,500 meters in marginal weather conditions. During this maneuver, the airframe struck the slope of a mountain located approximately 30 km southwest of the destination airbase, near the city of Atsugi. The impact forces destroyed the aircraft, which subsequently burned completely. All 41 occupants were killed in the event. Meteorological data recorded at the time indicated visibility of 10 km, with cumulus and altostratus cloud layers present between 1,000 and 2,500 meters.
Findings
Investigations suggested that the accident resulted from a failure to maintain proper situational awareness. The crew apparently did not adequately verify their instruments and failed to recognize that they were following an incorrect heading for the landing approach. Contributing factors may have included inappropriate flight planning or a lack of concentration. Additionally, strong winds reaching up to 40 knots at the time of the accident potentially exacerbated the deviation from the intended approach path.