Narrative:
The water-injection system failed during takeoff from Dyess AFB (DYS) runway 16. The airplane barely climbed and the wing clipped a house before the plane crashed. The passengers of the Stratotanker included spouses of military members, retired military members and one child. They were on a non-stop flight to Hawaii with an en route F-16 refueling mission.
accident date: 31-01-1989
type: Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker
registration: 63-7990
accident date: 31-01-1989
type: Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker
registration: 63-7990
| Status: | |
| Date: | Tuesday 31 January 1989 |
| Time: | 12:10 |
| Type: |  Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker |
| Operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 63-7990 |
| MSN: | 18607/646 |
| First flight: | 1963-09-19 (25 years 5 months) |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney J57-P |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 19 / Occupants: 19 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Abilene-Dyess AFB, TX (DYS) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Abilene-Dyess AFB, TX (DYS/KDYS), United States of America |
| Honolulu-Hickam AFB, HI (HIK), United States of America |
The water-injection system failed during takeoff from Dyess AFB (DYS) runway 16. The airplane barely climbed and the wing clipped a house before the plane crashed. The passengers of the Stratotanker included spouses of military members, retired military members and one child. They were on a non-stop flight to Hawaii with an en route F-16 refueling mission.
Classification:
Loss of control
Sources:
» Air Force jet crashes on takeoff, all 19 aboard dead (Valley Independent, 1989-02-01)Photos
accident date: 31-01-1989
type: Boeing KC-135A Stratotanker
registration: 63-7990
accident date: 31-01-1989
type: Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker
registration: 63-7990
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Abilene-Dyess AFB, TX to Honolulu-Hickam AFB, HI as the crow flies is 5783 km (3615 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Abilene-Dyess AFB, TX to Honolulu-Hickam AFB, HI as the crow flies is 5783 km (3615 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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