Accident Overview
On takeoff from the skiway at Wilkes Station, Antarctica, a Neptune aircraft supporting Operation Deep Freeze 1962 caught fire and crashed. The flight was part of the U.S. Navy's Antarctic logistics mission. Of the nine personnel on board, five were killed and four survived.
Sequence of Events
The accident occurred during the takeoff run. The aircraft's previous landing had been violently rough, dislodging a 400-gallon internal fuel tank located in the bomb bay. The tank's 4-inch filler pipe began spewing raw fuel, which ran down the underside of the aircraft during takeoff. When the JATO (jet-assisted takeoff) bottles were ignited, the leaking fuel ignited, creating a Roman Candle-like effect. The fire burned through the fiberglass tail cone, and acrid smoke was drawn directly into the cockpit, blinding the pilots. Despite attempting to return to the airfield, the pilots were unable to do so. In the final moments, the pilot managed to level the wings before impact, which likely saved some of the occupants.
Official Findings
An investigation determined the probable cause of the accident to be a collision with the ground following an intense, uncontrollable fire in the landing gear and bomb bay fuel tank area.
Aftermath
The crash site and the incident are commemorated, with details available from Australian Antarctic Division sources.