What happened
On the morning of the accident, a crew was operating a flight path originating at Pope AFB with scheduled stops at Hamilton AFB, Lowry AFB, and Ogden-Hill AFB. The aircraft departed from Lowry AFB at 0801 local time. Following departure, the crew executed two turns—first to the left and then to the right—before maintaining a heading of 270 degrees.
Shortly after these maneuvers, the aircraft entered a box canyon formation. During this phase of flight, the plane failed to achieve enough altitude to clear the surrounding terrain, ultimately striking the side of Mt Vasquez Peak, which stands at an elevation of 3,414 meters. The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft and nine fatalities.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the primary cause was a pilot error involving a decision to enter a box canyon without maintaining enough altitude or lateral distance to safely exit the terrain feature. This action violated specific Air Force regulations regarding flight procedures.
Additional contributing factors included:
- A failure in air discipline, as the pilot flew for approximately thirty-two miles at altitudes as low as 50 feet above the ground, which was a violation of established safety regulations.
- Atmospheric conditions, specifically forecasted winds and turbulence, likely created an adverse mountain wave effect that impacted the aircraft's performance just before it hit the peak.