1964 — June 29, USAF Stratofreighter & USAF C54 collide ~Kindley US AFB, Bermuda– 17

–19 Forbes, Keith A. Bermuda’s aviation history and pioneers (website). 11-3-2012 update.
–17 Aviation Safety Network. USAF Douglas HC054D and USAF Stratofreighter collide.
–10 (all) USAF Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter, 4.1 miles off south Bermuda.
— 7 (all) USAF Douglas HC-54D (DC-4), 4.1 miles off south Bermuda.
–17 Del Rio News-Herald, TX. “Air Force Declares 17 Aboard Two Planes…Dead.” 7-1-1964.
–17 Stars and Stripes, European Ed. “2 USAF Planes Collide over Sea; 7 of 24 Saved.” 6-30-64

Narrative Information

Forbes: “1964. June 29. Two USAF aircraft, a Boeing HC-97 Stratofreighter version G used for transport and search and rescue and a C-54 were flying near Bermuda. The HC-97 was assigned to Kindley Air Force Base in Bermuda….[and] assigned to NASA to train for the recovery of Gemini spacecraft as the last few Mercury flights had overshot the aircraft carriers by about 90 miles, and NASA was considering reassigning that mission to the US Air Force from the US Navy.

“The aircraft flew in formation over Castle Harbour and then moved about two miles south of Castle Island. One plane had parachutists to practice jumping into the sea, while the other aircraft was taking pictures. They were flying about 1,000 feet above sea level. The first jumpers left the plane, and the C-54 banked to offset the lost weight. The HC-97, with more powerful engines, did not bank, and the two aircraft collided. This created such a huge fireball that it was seen by many people on the beaches along Tucker’s Town and John Smith’s Bay. There were 12 men aboard each plane, for a total of 24. 19 of those personnel were killed, and the five who survived were parachutists who had either just jumped or were about to.

“Rescue craft were only able to recover nine bodies… Astronaut Scott Carpenter, who was over at the Navy base working on SeaLab, attempted to recover remains, but the two mile depth prevented these efforts….The next year, the Gemini program began, and was able to accurately land almost next to the aircraft carriers. Thereafter, the USAF never implemented the mission of recovering Gemini spacecraft.

“Here is an official statement supplementing the above:

“1964. June 29. Two United States Air Force aircraft stationed at Kindley Air Force Base (KAFB), Bermuda, collided at sea off Bermuda during a NASA mission from Kindley AFB. 17 US servicemen died. They took off between 11:05 and 11:10 am local time. The first aircraft in the air was a HC-97G (serial number 522773), assigned to the 55th Air Rescue Squadron (55 ARS) at Kindley with 12 crewmen. The other aircraft was a HC-54D (serial number 4272590) assigned to the 57th Air Rescue Squadron (57 ARS) at Lajes Air Force Base in the Azores with 12 crewmen.

“The mission was for the aircraft to conduct an aerial photography mission to support the NASA Gemini program. It was necessary for the specially-trained para-rescue personnel (jumpers) to exit the aircraft, jump into the waters and install a flotation collar on the Gemini capsule. The planned mission was to have one aircraft with jumpers, while the other photographed the activities. The designated drop zone was about two to four miles south of Bermuda and about four to six miles from Kindley. Both aircraft arrived at the drop zone and because of the clouds, decided to fly the mission at 1,700 feet (below the clouds). Aboard each aircraft were photographers and para-rescue men. On the sea below, there were about three boats, one of which included a photographer, who filmed the aircraft’s operations.

“During the first run, the HC-97G took photos and the HC-54D was slightly forward and above, began deploying para-rescuemen. Right-hand patterns were flown, and photos were shot with the sun behind the cameras and at an angle that would not reveal any land surfaces. After a few passes over the drop area with all four para-rescuemen being deployed from the HC-54D, the aircraft changed positions. This placed the HC-54D slightly ahead and above and to the left of the HC-97G. After flying one dry run, and again in a right-hand pattern, two para-rescuemen deployed (jumped) from the HC-97G. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided. The HC-54D suddenly banked to the right, colliding with the HC-97G, hitting the wing or midsection of the HC-97G and sheering both its wing and the tail section, and both aircraft immediately plunged towards the water. A total of 17 Air Force personnel were killed. There were 7 survivors, all who jumped prior to the collision. Only five of the 17 killed had remains recovered.” (Forbes, Keith Archibald. Bermuda’s aviation history and pioneers (website). 11-3-2012 update.)

Newspapers

June 30: “Hamilton, Bermuda (AP) — Two U.S. Air Force lanes collided and crashed into the sea about three miles off south Bermuda Monday. An Air Force spokesman said seven of the 24 men aboard were rescued. Reports from the scene indicated some bodies were recovered.

“The planes were conducting simulated rescue run for recovering a Gemini space capsule of the type that will put two men in orbit in a single craft. There was a crash boat circling below at the time and one plane had just dropped two parachutists.

“Rescue efforts began immediately, and helicopters, planes and boats from Kindley Air Force Base, five miles away, quickly joined in the rescue and search.

“An eyewitness said the planes were on the same course flying at 1,500 feet when they touched wings, ripping off the wing of one plane. Each plane then plunged toward the sea.

“An Air Force spokesman at McCoy Air Force Base, Orlando, Fla., said it was not known where the planes were based. Another spokesman had said earlier they were attached to the Air Rescue Service at the Florida base. ‘One was an HC54 and the other an HC97.’ he said. ‘Both are four-engine planes. The HCM is similar to the DC4, and the other is bigger.’

“The crash occurred at 11:50 a.m. and the first men were picked up less than an hour later.” (Stars and Stripes, European Edition, Darmstadt. “2 USAF Planes Collide over Sea; 7 of 24 Saved.” 6-30-1964, p. 1.)

July 1: “Washington (AP) – The Air Force has declared dead the 17 officers and men who were aboard two planes that collided south of Bermuda Monday. Only five bodies have been recovered, according to reports received in Washington. Seven men who dropped out of the planes as part of a paradrop training mission before the crash were rescued from the sea.” (Del Rio News-Herald, TX. “Air Force Declares 17 Aboard Two Planes in Collision Dead.” 7-1-1964, p. 8.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Monday 29 June 1964. USAF Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter collides with USAD Douglas HC-54, 4.1 miles south of Bermuda. Accessed 7-11-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19640629-1

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation. Monday 29 June 1964. USAF Douglas HC-54D (DE-4) collides with USAF Stratofreighter, 4.1 miles south of Bermuda. Accessed 7-11-2022 at: https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19640629-0

Del Rio News-Herald, TX. “Air Force Declares 17 Aboard Two Planes in Collision Dead.” 7-1-1964, p. 8. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=114940055

Forbes, Keith Archibald. Bermuda’s aviation history and pioneers (website). 11-3-2012 update. Accessed 11-5-2012 at: http://www.bermuda-online.org/aviation.htm

Stars and Stripes, European Edition, Darmstadt. “2 USAF Planes Collide over Sea; 7 of 24 Saved.” 6-30-1964, 1. At: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=133451474