Date:	Wednesday 5 July 1967
Time:
Type:	Boeing B-52G-85-BW Stratofortress
Owner/operator:	72nd BWg USAF
Registration:	57-6494
MSN:	464199
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 7
Aircraft damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	Off Jobos Beach, Isabela -   Puerto Rico
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Ramey AFB, Puerto Rico (TJBQ)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Crashed and destroyed after life raft inflated on take-off from Ramey AFB, Puerto Rixo on July 5 1967. Aircraft climbed straight out on the runway heading and it appeared normal until it reached an altitude of approximately 3000 feet and a distance of 5 miles from the take-off position. At this time a steep nose-over maneuver was noticed and the aircraft continued down in a steep dive until it disappeared below the horizon. Three crewmen ejected and survived. The aircraft struck the ocean at a steep angle. Later analysis indicated that the life raft stowed behind the co-pilot inflated, pushing him into the control yoke.

The aircraft crashed into the water off Jobos Beach, Isabela. Military divers recovered the remains of those killed in the incident.

Four crew killed, three survived
Captain Donald Foster, Aircraft (Columbia, SC) Commander - killed
Captain Erwin Cowart, (Twin City, GA) Co-pilot - killed
Capt. Taivo Patajan(Fresno, CA) Radar-Nav - ejected, survived
1st Lt Paul Grimm (Jacksonville, FL), Navigator - ejected, survived
1st Lt. Richard St. George (Watsonville, CA) - EWO, no ejection, killed
SSgt Leroy Spencer (Morrice, MI) Crew Chief - killed in aircraft
T/Sgt. Ronald Hagis - Gunner - bailed out, survived

As a result of this crash, the liferaft deflation tools were installed at the pilot and copilot positions.

"AF Divers Seek Bodies in Bomber", Daily Review (Hayward, California), 6 July 1967, page 2. (Lists crew names, etc..)
USAF Accident-Incident Report AF Form 711, 1967 July 25, s/Otis A. Sleep, Major, Investigating Officer
www.scramble.nl (Scamble 252)
http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=84115
http://web.archive.org/web/20171101061754/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/b52_stratofortress.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1957.html

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
07-Nov-2008 10:15	ASN archive	Added
22-Jul-2009 22:01	rafbhag	Updated
05-Nov-2009 12:36	JINX	Updated
17-Feb-2013 16:32	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
29-May-2017 15:04	Milo	Updated [Country, Narrative]
11-Mar-2020 16:31	DG333	Updated [Operator, Operator]
13-Mar-2021 19:48	byronmitchell	Updated [Country]