1978-04-26: Lockheed P-3 Orion (152724) — United States Navy - USN — Lajes, Portugal

7 fatalitiesLajes, PortugalFlight

A four-engine aircraft disappeared during a training mission near Lajes, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members.

What happened

During a scheduled training flight departing from Lajes, a four-engine airplane went down in the Atlantic Ocean. The incident occurred approximately 32 km northeast of the Lajes airfield. Following the disappearance, search efforts located small amounts of debris floating on the ocean surface.

There were no survivors in the accident. The crash resulted in seven fatalities, accounting for the entire crew onboard the aircraft at the time of the impact. The specific circumstances surrounding the descent and subsequent loss of the aircraft remain unconfirmed.

Findings

The investigation into the wreckage and the flight path has not yet determined why the aircraft crashed. At this time, the exact cause of the accident remains unknown.

Probable cause

The specific reason for the crash has not been established by investigators.