Accident Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress 57-0172,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 48390
 
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Date:Thursday 9 October 1969
Time:23:45
Type:Silhouette image of generic B52 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing B-52F-70-BW Stratofortress
Owner/operator:329th BSqn /93rd BWg USAF
Registration: 57-0172
MSN: 464161
Fatalities:Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Castle AFB, Atwater, Merced, California -   United States of America
Phase: Initial climb
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Castle AFB, Atwater, Merced, CA
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Boeing B-52F s/n 57‑0172 of 329th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Wing, SAC, USAF. Crashed and destroyed on October 9 1969 at Castle AFB, Atwater, Merced, California, during practice touch and go landings. Pitched‑up during overshoot resulting in loss of control. Crashed and burst into flames on one of the runways, then skidded into Ammo Annex (ammunition dump) and all six crew members on board were killed.

Crew:
Pilot/Inst:Capt Richard F Beattie USAF killed.
Nav/Inst:Maj Boyd P Beyer USAF killed.
Nav/Inst:Maj Doyal L Keller USAF killed.
Student:Captain Wilber D Wright USAF killed.
Student:1st/Lt Frank D Harriman USAF killed.
Student:2nd/Lt. Steven D Lack USAF killed.

Sources:

Los Angeles, California: Los Angeles Times, Friday, 11 October 1969.
http://web.archive.org/web/20171101061754/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/b52_stratofortress.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1957.html
http://www.wafb.com/story/8708856/listing-of-b-52-crashes-since-1957
www.mil-veh.org/archives/05-09/0968.html
www.baaa-acro.com/Pays/Etats-Unis/Californie-1960-1969.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_accidents_and_incidents_involving_military_aircraft_(1960%E2%80%931974)#1969

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
07-Nov-2008 10:15 ASN archive Added
03-Nov-2009 20:57 JINX Updated
17-Feb-2013 23:04 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
06-Apr-2020 14:54 Reno Raines Updated [Operator, Operator]

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