Narrative:
Crashed in steep terrain during a night time climb out of Kirtland Air Force Base. The aircraft struck a peak in the Manzano Mountains, about 10 meters below the summit.
accident date: 14-09-1977
type: Boeing EC-135K
registration: 62-3536
| Status: | |
| Date: | Wednesday 14 September 1977 |
| Time: | 23:48 |
| Type: |  Boeing EC-135K |
| Operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 62-3536 |
| MSN: | 18519/587 |
| First flight: | 1963-02-27 (14 years 7 months) |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7307 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-102 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 20 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 20 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | 8 km (5 mls) E of Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM (KIKR), United States of America |
| Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV (LSV/KLSV), United States of America |
Crashed in steep terrain during a night time climb out of Kirtland Air Force Base. The aircraft struck a peak in the Manzano Mountains, about 10 meters below the summit.
Classification:
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker: More Than Just a Tanker (Aerofax Series) / Robert S Hopkins, IIIPhotos
accident date: 14-09-1977
type: Boeing EC-135K
registration: 62-3536
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 Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM to Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV as the crow flies is 768 km (480 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM to Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV as the crow flies is 768 km (480 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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Boeing C-135
- 820 built
- 54th loss
- 43rd fatal accident
- 6th worst accident (at the time)
- 8th worst accident (currently)
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