What happened
While traveling at cruising altitude, an aircraft lost control and descended into a field situated approximately seven miles east of Payette. The flight was en route to its home base in McChord following a mission to provide supplies to the Thunderbird demonstration team at Ogden-Hill AFB.
Upon impact with the ground, the aircraft was completely destroyed. The accident resulted in 19 fatalities, which included two civilians and members of the crew.
Findings
Investigations into the crash suggest that the primary reason for the loss of control was an in-flight collision with a flock of birds, potentially geese.