| Date: | Wednesday 15 March 1978 |
| Time: | 08:47 |
| Type: |  Lockheed EC-121T Super Constellation |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 55-0121 |
| MSN: | 4394 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1956 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 17 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Reykjavík-Naval Air Station Keflavík (KEF) -
 Iceland
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Keflavík Naval Air Station (KEF/BIKF) |
| Keflavík Naval Air Station (KEF/BIKF) |
The EC-121 taxied out to the runway for a routine training mission. Then the left main landing gear suddenly collapsed and the left wing struck the ground. The aircraft started to rotate rapidly to the left and the right tip tank snapped off, rupturing the fuel tanks. A fire erupted and the aircraft was evacuated.
The gear reportedly failed due to stress corrosion.
Sources:
USAF EC-121T Accident (55-0121) / Captain James T Webb -- Air Forces Iceland
The White Falcon / March 24, 1978
Location
Images:
photo (c) PHC David Brookins; US Navy; Reykjavík-Naval Air Station Keflavík (KEF); 15 March 1978
Revision history:
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