1977 — June 21, USN TACAMO EC130Q Hercules takeoff crash, off Wake Island — 16

— 16 ASN. Accident Description. USN Lockheed EC-130Q, off Wake Island AP, 6-21-1977.
— 16 Baugher. US Navy…Marine…BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). 10-29-2011.
— 16 Gero, D. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. 1999, pp. 123-124.
— 16 Oakland Tribune (Contra Costa Edition), CA. “Wake Island Plane Crash.” 6-21-1977, 1.
— 16 Pacific Stars and Stripes. “Turtle finds EC130Q wreckage.” 8-12-1977, p. 13.

Narrative Information

Baugher: “Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules…156176 (c/n 382-4280) flew into water on takeoff from Wake Island Jul 21, 1977. All 16 onboard killed (ASN)” (Baugher. US Navy…Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). 10-29-2011.)

Gero: “Date: 21 June 1977 (c.22:30)
“Location: Off Wake Island
“Operator: US Navy
“Aircraft type: Lockheed EC-13Q (156176)

“The airborne command and control aircraft, with a crew of 16 military personnel aboard, crashed in the Pacific Ocean moments after taking off from Wake Island Naval Air Station, on an operational mission. Searchers found only one body; there were no survivors. Also recovered were two power plants, a portion of one wing and some other debris, but the main wreckage of 156176 was lost at sea. Climbing to no higher than 400 ft (120m), the four-engine turboprop slammed into the water approximately one mile (1.5km) from the end of Runway 10, which it had used, exploding on impact and creating a fire that burned for a while on the surface of the ocean. The accident occurred in moonlit darkness and weather conditions consisting of a 2,000ft (600m) ceiling and winds out of the east at 17 knots, gusting to 22. For unknown reasons, the EC-130 had failed to follow the normal climb-out profile. One possible explanation for the crash was the pilots and lost their visual and peripheral references immediately after passing over the departure end of the runway. One endorsement in the Navy investigative report expressed the opinion that the absence of control tower personnel on duty at the time of the take-off, who could have monitored the climb-out of the aircraft, deprived the crew of an additional safeguard.”

Newspapers

June 21: “Honolulu (AP) – A Navy C130 plane with 16 military passengers embed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff today from Wake Island Air Force Base, the Air Force said. Flares were seen at the crash site, indicating there were survivors, according to a spokesman at Hickam Air Force Base here. The plane was based at Agana, Guam, and was en route home when it crashed at 3:26 am PDT. The plane had left Hickam late yesterday afternoon and stopped at Wake for refueling and crew rest. (Oakland Tribune, Contra Costa Edition, CA. “Wake Island Plane Crash.” 6-21-1977, 1.)

Aug 12: “Technicians prepare the “Turtle,” a deep-diving vessel being used in the search for a Navy EC130Q aircraft which crashed on take-off from Wake Island June 30, killing the 16 men aboard. A spokesman for the 3rd Fleet said Tuesday the aircraft wreckage has been located by the Turtle in 1,600 feet of water about a mile off the island. Some electronic gear, an emergency distress light and other bits of wreckage have been recovered in the continuing operation, the spokesman said. The Turtle operates from the support ship Maxine D. The Pearl Harbor-based salvage ship Brunswick also is taking part in the recovery operation. The aircraft, assigned to Fleet Air Recon. Sq. 3 at Agana, Guam, was en route to Guam after refueling at Wake when it crashed. The cause of the accident has not been determined. One body was recovered the day of the crash.” (Pacific Stars and Stripes. “Turtle finds EC130Q wreckage.” 8-12-1977, p. 13.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. United States Navy Lockheed EC-130Q…off Wake Island AP…21 Jun 1977. At: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19770621-1

Baugher, Joseph F. US Navy and US Marine Corps BuNos Third Series (150139 to 156169). Oct 29, 2011 revision. Accessed at: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html

Gero, David. Military Aviation Disasters: Significant Losses Since 1908. UK and Newbury Park, CA: Patrick Stephens Limited, an imprint of Hayes Publishing, 1999.

Oakland Tribune (Contra Costa Edition), CA. “Wake Island Plane Crash.” 6-21-1977, 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/freepdfviewer.aspx?img=31341713

Pacific Stars and Stripes, Tokyo, Japan. “Turtle finds EC130Q wreckage.” 8-12-1977, p. 13. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=138492593