What happened
A four-engine aircraft operated by the USAF was performing a cargo mission from Travis AFB to Clark AFB, Philippines, with scheduled stops at Yokota AFB and Cold Bay. During the nighttime approach to Cold Bay, the flight was operating at an altitude of 3,500 feet amidst marginal weather conditions.
While flying approximately 18 miles east of the airport, the plane collided with the slope of Mt Dutton, which has an elevation of 4,941 feet. At the moment of impact, the aircraft was traveling at a speed of 185 knots on a heading of 275°. The collision resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and caused six fatalities among the crew.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the flight was approximately 12° off its intended course at the time of the accident. The crash was primarily driven by the captain's failure to follow approved instrument approach procedures, which led the plane into terrain and an area where navigation signals were unreliable.