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| Date: | Wednesday 14 September 1977 |
| Time: | 23:48 |
| Type: |  Boeing EC-135K |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 62-3536 |
| MSN: | 18519/587 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1963 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7307 hours |
| Engine model: | Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-102 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 20 / Occupants: 20 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 8 km E of Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM (KIKR) |
| Las Vegas-Nellis AFB, NV (LSV/KLSV) |
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. Additional information follows: The crew was NOT taught the ODP departure system in their Air Force training. In the accident report, the controller testified that he did not know why the crew didn't fly the ODP which took aircraft to the VORTAC to the west for a safe climb to enroute altitudes. My research shows that crews/pilots who do not understand the ODP system will either turn to the first point on the flight plan or fly runway heading (as with this CFIT) while trying to establish contact with departure. I believe ASR was inoperable for maintenance that night so the controller could not save them. The Air Force accident report did not contain a cause because none of the personnel at the accident board understood the ODP system and thus did not focus on the testimony of the controller as to indicating a training problem in Air Force training. Now go review the Jackson Hole C-130 lack of flying an ODP CFIT.
Sources:
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker: More Than Just a Tanker (Aerofax Series) / Robert S Hopkins, III
Location
Images:
photo (c) United States Air Force; 8 km from Albuquerque-Kirtland AFB, NM; September 1977; (publicdomain)
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-May-2025 18:39 | Dog | Updated [Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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