Incident
During initial climb shortly after takeoff from Whitehorse, an unexpected situation developed aboard a C-119 transport aircraft, prompting five crew members to bail out. Seconds later, the airplane dove into the ground and crashed 17 miles south of Whitehorse. Three men were found alive, while five occupants of the airplane and two parachutists were killed.
Background
The C-119 took off from Whitehorse following another Flying Boxcar. Both aircraft were en route to McChord Air Force Base, Washington, on a flight originating from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and destined for Ellington Air Force Base, Texas. The planes and crew were returning home after participating in Operation King Crab II, a joint armed forces maneuver held on Kodiak Island the previous weekend. The entire 446th Troop Carrier Wing (Reserve) from Ellington had come to take part in the exercises.