EC-47 45-0937 Crashes August 19th, 1971

EC-47 45-0937 Crashed August 19th, 1971

The following based on USAF Accident/Incident Report dated 19 August, 1971.

Aircraft Crewmembers

1st Lt. George E. Crowder Jr. - Pilot
1st Lt. James C. Lashua - Co-Pilot
Major Doyce R. Black - Navigator
SSgt James W. James - R.O.
A1C John P. Lloyd - R.O.
Sgt Gregory R. Shake - R.O.
Sgt David K. Townes - R.O.

History of Flight

Aircraft 45-0937, an EC-47P of the 46oth Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, was scheduled for a classified tactical mission originating at Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN on 19 August 1971. Scheduled departure time was 1615 local for a mission duration of five and one half hours. The aircraft (call sign LEGMAN 48) had a fuel load of 672 gallons and was computed at 26,365 pounds takeoff gross weight.

The Aircraft Commander, 1st Lt George E. Crowder, Jr., and his crew arrived at the 360th Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron Briefing Room at 145 hours. Intelligence, weather, operations and mission briefing were completed at that time. The mission weather was forcast to be VMC with a Military Weather Warning and Advisory, valid 0600-1400Z. (Thunderstorms within 5 NM of the field.) The crew of seven picked up their personal equipment and proceeded to the aircraft to complete the appropriate preflight inspections.

A thorough preflight revealed no descrepancies and the engines were started at 1535 hours. The Before Taxi Checklist was completed in the revetment and the crew called for taxi clearance. Taxi clearance was received. The Pilot initiated the Taxi Checklist and proceeded to the run-up area near the approach end of Runway 25L. The Pilot's and Co-Pilot's brakes were checked in accordance with local procedures and were found to be operatin normally during taxi. The Engine Run-up Checklist was accomplished in the run-up area and all checks indicated that the aircraft systems were operating normally. The Before Take-off Checklist was completed and no abnormal conditions were noted. At approximately 1605 hours the Co-Pilot called tower for takeoff clearance and LEGMAN 48 was cleared by the Tower for takeoff. The Tower reported the winds at 120/05, which for this takeoff was a left quartering tailwind. The Aircraft Commander called for the Line-up Checklist and applied power to enter the runway. The Co-Pilot accomplished his required checklist items. The Pilot verified that the throttle friction lock was adjusted and locked the tail wheel when the aircraft was aligned with the runway centerline. He allowed the aircraft to roll forward a few feet to confirm that the tail wheel was locked and then the Co-Pilot stated that the Line-up Checklist was complete.

The Pilot, Lt Crowder, applied power slowly and notified the crew on interphone that they were rolling for takeoff. No differential power application was applied, but the pilot noted that number one throttle required about 1/2 inch lead on number two throttle in order to maintain equal manifold pressure. Both the Pilot and Co-Pilot crosschecked engine instruments as power was advanced through 30 inches manifold pressure. All engine instruments were within normal operating range. Power increase was continued, reaching an estimated 42 inches manifold pressure. This was the maximum power applied during the duration of the takeoff roll. (Takeoff manifold pressure was computed to be 48.8 inches.) Takeoff roll was normal until the aircraft reached a poin 2306 feet down the runway. At this point, the aircraft started a gradual left turn. The right gear crossed over the runway centerline 2480 feet down the runway from the approach end of runway 25L. The left turn continued (approximately 9 degrees left of runway heading) until the left main gear reached a point 75 feet from centerline, 3080 feet down the runway. At this point, tire marks either from the right brake being applied or from the right gear experiencing side loading, were apparent. The aircraft paralleled the runway centerline with the left gear rolling on the extreme left edge of the runway for 150 feet. The aircraft then began a correction toward centerline which rapidly developed into a rolling skid turn to the right (aircraft skidding to the left. (** 2-3 words blanked out **) It crossed the runway centerline 3660 feet from the approach end of the runway. The aircraft direction of travel at this point was computed to have been 295 degrees, while the actual aircraft heading was reconstructed to have been approximately 350 degrees. (** 1-2 words blanked out **) The angle formed by the runway centerline and the longitudinal axis of the aircraft was measured to be 101 degrees. The aircraft departed the right side of the runway 3720 feet from the approach end on the same approximate heading and direction of travel. The left main gear failed from side load tension when it contacted the lip of a drainage ditch which was approximately one foot in depth. The propeller failed and seperated from the Number 1 engine 15 feet beyond the gear failure point. The aircraft rotated 20 degrees to the left on a perpendicular axis through the left wing tip. It came to rest 3920 feet from the approach end of the runway and 290 feet from the runway centerline.

During the attempted takeoff, the power was never advanced beyond 42 inches manifold pressure. The maximum speed attained during the roll was estimated by the crewmembers to have been between 50 and 60 knots.

After the aircraft had come to rest, the Pilot cutoff the right mixture control and attempted to cutoff the left mixture control. The left mixture control was jammed and he was unable to move it. At some point shortly after coming to rest, the Pilot turned the alarm bell switch on to evacute personnel from the aircraft. The bell was heard by backend crewmembers but the Pilot and Co-Pilot do not recall hearing it ring. The Pilot attempted to close the firewall shutoff valves but had difficulty in moving the levers. As he bent over to operate them, one of the Radio Operators thought he was hurt and ran forward to assist him out of the aircraft. The Radio Operator insisted that they get out of the aircraft before it caught fire. The Pilot and Co-Pilot accomplished no further actions and got out of their seats and exited the aircraft.

No crewmembers experienced and difficulty in exiting the aircraft and there were no injuries. Once clear of the aircraft the regrouped as a safe distance and waited for the crash rescue assistance. An estimated four or five minutes elapsed before the first fire trucks arrived on the scene. There was no fire even though there was extensive fuel and hydraulic fluid spillage. No additional damage to the aircraft occurred once it came to rest.



More on this one

During initial takeoff the aircraft experienced a power loss on one of the engines and an abort was initiated. Being fairly "squirrely" on the ground the aircraft got away from the pilot and departed the runway into the grassy area between the parallel runways at Tan Son Nhut. After leaving the hard surface the aircraft hit a ditch which was hidden by tall grass and sheared the left main gear off (the gear can easily be seen behind the left wing in photo 937r). As the aircraft settled onto the left wing the left prop dug into the ground and separated from the engine (easily seen in photo 937).

As most of the pilots knew, if the left prop separated it was supposed to come through the cockpit but, fortunately, power on the engine had been reduced to idle during the abort and the prop did not have sufficient energy to make all the way through the pilots' laps. If, however, you look closely at photo 937 you see a dark spot behind and slightly above the aircraft commander's side window ...... that is where the first blade entered the fuselage ..... just behind the AC's head!

The Reenact photo was picture staged using 979 setup in the skid marks on the runway to ascertain the aircraft position as it left the runway.

No injuries were sustained and the aircraft was rebuilt for service. An interesting sidenote ..... for the purpose of the accident investigation the tall grass was ordered to be mowed.

During the mowing more than a few unexploded rockets (from previous "Sapper" attacks) were hit by the mowers.

But of greater interest was a VC tunnel still in use as a weapons cache RIGHT BETWEEN THE RUNWAYS!

Bob Looney