Anecdotes about Combat Crews and Operations at Takhli RTAFB 1965-1966

Report of EB-66E #54-0529 Crash of at Korat RTAFB, 23 Dec '71
by Rog & Suz (zobee@charter.net) (Click on link above for details)

EB-66E #54-XXXX Accident at Spangdahlem, 24 Dec '58 by Cliff Parrott

Pilot Capt Howard W. Strandberg (fatality), Nav. Capt Wilfred E. Cather (fatality),
IN-Wing Nav Capt Joseph D. Loeffler (fatality).

EB-66E #54-0536 Accident at Spangdahlem, 9 Oct '69 by Smiley Pomroy

Pilot Capt Kenneth Kelly (fatality), Nav. LtCol. Frank Fusich (burned - survived), EWO Capt John Holly (fatality).

RB-66C Accident at Spangdahlem AB, Germany
by Don Harding

I first checked out in the RB-66B at Shaw in March and April, 1959. I had an assignment to the 47th BW in England but still had to go through the photo recce school. I thought it unnecessary at the time. Later it proved valuable when I went to the 25th TRW in France and later returned to the 4417th at Shaw. I remember our training being sort of disjointed in '59 when the runway at Shaw was closed for repairs. The B-66s were moved to Seymour-Johnson AFB while the RF-101's went to Myrtle Beach AFB. Remember?

Harry Purcell was my instructor and Willis Skroch gave me my final check ride. Harry gave me my initial demonstration ride going to S-J AFB. The next day I was at the controls for the first time. We were rolling along on take-off and using up a lot of runway. I was pulling back fairly hard on the yoke and wondering if this bird required this much stick force, when Harry say's "What's going on"? I finally pulled hard enough and along with some "up" elevator trim we became airborne! I told Harry maybe we had elevator boost disconnect, which proved to be the case. A long story made short. We burned off fuel and Harry let me land the bird if you can believe that!! He was funny that way!

I've always felt comfortable in any aircraft I've flown. I started flying when I was 15 and soloed an "interstate cadet" on my 16th bd. One year later I took my Private Pilots flight check on my 17th bd and have been at it ever since. Before the assignment to Shaw I finished a tour as a flight instructor in the training command (T-33). The last one and a half years of that tour was in the training group stan/eval. Being mechanically inclined, I have always tried to learn all I could about the engineering aspect of any aircraft I have been assigned to. But enough about me and on to the mishap at Spangdahlem.

I was Chief of Stand/Eval for the 39th TEWS assigned to the 52nd TFW at Spangdahlem, Germany. I had no assistant so administered all the pilot flight checks and aircrew tac/eval checks. A very unique position, eh? I had a navigator and electronic warfare officer assigned with me. The EWO, Capt. Larry Wensil was in the rear compartment evaluating the three EWO's there while I was up front with the pilot and navigator that fateful day.

This was to be a pilot proficiency and Stan/Eval flight check for this crew on a standard unit mission of electronic intelligence gathering (ELINT) along the East German border. Capt. Dan Craven had proven to be a steady pilot in the squadron and I did not anticipate any problems with this crew. Pre-flight briefing and emergency procedures briefing was satisfactory. We proceeded to the aircraft where Dan and I made the pre-flight walk-round together. I have always paid particular attention to the elevator boost "hook" engagement observed above the drag chute compartment since my experience at Seymour-Johnson years before. I check this item personally with a flashlight as I did after Dan checked it. Overkill maybe?

Start-up and taxi went very well and we made our way to the active runway. We were checked over by the "quick check" team for any abnormalities externally visible and were cleared by the ground crew. I had established a routine of sitting in the ejection seat behind the pilot during take-off and later in the flight, moving up in the aisle alongside the pilot on my "IP stool" so as to better observe the pilot's procedures throughout the remainder of the flight as we did with students at Shaw.

From my position behind the pilot I could lean to the right in my seat and observe some actions by the pilot and also some of the engine instruments. I could also refer to the airspeed indicator at the navigator's position. We started the take-off roll and I specifically look for the pilot to make the "elevator boost engagement" check at 80kt airspeed, which Dan did. The boost check was made by pulling the control column back fully to see if the boost was working. It also put an airload on the elevator and system so that if the boost engagement "hooks" were only partially engaged; the resultant pressure would cause boost disconnect. The pilot would feel this in the elevator control and be able to abort the take off safely. I know Polly that you are aware of these procedures (shucks, you probably helped write them!); however, others are going to be reading this and I thought it should be included.

After the 80kt. check I look for rotation to take-off attitude; in this case 145kts and lift-off at 155kts. It was at the 145kts point Dan exclaimed "the elevators locked"! I could see Dan was pulling hard on the yoke and (he was a big, strong athletic type guy) but the control was solidly locked in the neutral position. Mind you we were accelerating rapidly by now and the aircraft was really "dancing and wanting to fly" (actually a porpoise had started). I saw 168-170kts on the navigator's airspeed indicator and yelled at Dan to "trim it off Dan-trim it off"!! Instead he reduced the throttles to idle and my heart climbed into my throat!

This all happened in a matter of seconds. There was a delay after the throttles were cut, the drag chute was not deployed so I exclaimed "pull the gear-pull the f------ gear!! which he finally did. We went on our belly with a slight right hand skid (probably due to the right main gear retracting first). I immediately released my top hatch manually and at the same time activated my foot mike and told the EWO's to jettison their top hatch. Later Capt. Wensil said they didn't hear that transmission but got rid of the hatch anyway. I then saw the navigator jettison his hatch. The pilot did not jettison his hatch.

It was an extremely rough ride at this point and I felt as if I would turn into a 'pancake' in my seat! The navigator, Capt. Harry Wilkerson, suffered several vertebrae compression fractures. The aircraft slid to a stop just short of the airfield perimeter road. I stood up after unstrapping and the fuel fire from the ruptured left wing tank was boiling around the left side of the cockpit area. I had retained my helmet and oxygen mask so did not get a single hair singed!

We were on a slight down hill grade and hurriedly (foolishly) I elected to jump into the edge of the fire which was moving slowly towards the aircraft nose. I hit hard but did a 'football' type roll and came up running. Again, I did not get burned, and felt as if God had his hand around me all this time. I then went around to the other side of the aircraft and saw Dan still sitting in the pilot's seat. I waved for him to get out. I didn't know if he was badly hurt or what, but he gave me a "thumbs up signal" and started throwing shoulder straps off.

I noticed the navigator letting himself down easy like from his hatch position. I didn't realize he was hurt but he managed to make his way to an open field off the right wing tip. The pilot also exited through the navigators hatch as I started focusing on the rear EWO compartment. I was on the right side of the right engine which I remember was still turning with an awful clattering sound. The first EWO came running down the right wing and out into the field off the right wing tip. Due to the sloping terrain the wing tip was only 3-4 feet off the ground. At this time I saw Captain Wensil come hobbling down the wing, later to find out his right ankle was broken.

This next sequence is quite hazy to me but I do remember pulling myself up on the wing by grabbing hold of the engine pylon. The third EWO was standing on top of the fuselage very close to the fire raging there. He looked dazed and confused so I gave him a shove towards the right wing tip and said "thatta way".

The last EWO out was Capt Bob Sherman who had somehow gotten up the aft compartment ladder. I grabbed him and pulled him to the leading edge of the wing outside of the right engine. The fire was coming over the top of the fuselage and it was very hot. Then one of those strange little things your mind records in a situation like this occurred. I saw a stream of fuel shooting into the air from the aft fuel tank vent. I believe the fuel cell bladder had probably collapsed and was forcing fuel out. It looked the size of a garden hose stream under high pressure and I thought to myself, "that aft tank (12,500# of fuel) was going up in flames any minute now"!

I jumped to the ground and will never forget Bob Sherman swinging his leg in front of my face exclaiming "Don, I think my leg is broken". I said "Yo Bob" and slid him off the wing onto my shoulder. His shin bone was sticking out through his flight suit and his foot was swinging free - I'll never forget that sight!! I then carried Bob about 40-50 yards past the wing tip, and sensing we were safe my legs turned to rubber and we collapsed in a heap. Bob was in severe pain and I was holding him and his leg as best I could. I was facing back towards the aircraft and could see the base rescue 'chopper' coming with a fire bottle attached. It was at this time that the aft tank exploded and engulfed the entire fuselage in fire. Not long after the forward tank caught fire. The right wing tank did not burn.

A couple of days later I gave Capt. Craven his pilot proficiency check in an EB-66E which was flown satisfactory. A few days later I flew a standard mission in an EB-66E.

The next day was Saturday and no flying or other duties were scheduled. I had a German hunting license and was a qualified hunting guide at the Bitburg AFB Rod and Gun Club so I could take other GI's with proper license out hunting. I had made an appointment with a doctor my wife worked with in the base ER for a hunt. We were good friends and when I missed a large Belgian hare running straight away from me, he really rubbed it in! However; that morning I had been bothered by a stinging sensation in my right eye and some blurred vision. He looked at my eye in the field and then we went to the ER where he gave me a thorough examination. This resulted in a trip to an ophthalmologist at the USAFE hospital in Wiesbaden, Germany.

I slowly went blind in both eyes in the following days. After many medical procedures and special medicines I regained most of my vision and 67 days later I was returned to duty but my flying career was over as I was left with blind spots in my visual field. I attended the AF intelligence officer's school at Lowry AFB and was assigned to Bergstrom AFB where I worked in wing operations until I retired in 1976. I continued to fly light aircraft and can only pass a class 3 physical due to my eye condition.

Polly, here's where you will be somewhat disappointed as the cause of the accident was never resolved to my satisfaction nor to others that knew the aircraft thoroughly. The investigating officer had just been assigned to the squadron and had been out of the aircraft a few years. His finding was that the "elevator control gust lock pin had inadvertently engaged". We were stunned at some of the explanatory statements that were made, they just didn't make any sense at all. Col. "Smiley" Pomeroy (39th TEWS CO) wrote an immediate rebuttal to USAFE concerning the report. The aircraft was completely burned and no trace of the control lock system was left intact. The investigating officer alluded to the fact that the controls might not have been totally unlocked. Totally unlocked? Hmmmm?

Statements by me, the pilot, navigator, and ground marshal should have convinced anyone the controls were working properly. Lord knows the throttles can't even be advanced much past idle unless the control lock handle is placed in the "unlock" position! The 80kt boost engagement check was also performed satisfactorily. I believe Douglas Aircraft Corp also made the "gust lock pin" to "fail safe" -- ie, the pin moved down when the control handle was placed in the "unlock" position. Gee, this guy had the pin moving up defying gravity!

Postscript by Ned Colburn

Like Paul Harvey, I will relate "The Rest of The Story" about The Man Don Harding who received the Airman's Medal for saving Bob Sherman's life in the crash of an EB-66C at Spangdahlem AB, Germany in August 1972.

Anyone who knows Don Harding will not be surprised at Don putting others first and risking his life to save others. That's just the kind of unique human being that Don Harding is.

Aviation was in Don's bloodstream -- beginning to fly at age 15, soloing on his 16th birthday and receiving a Private Pilot’s License on his 17th birthday. Naturally, Don entered the Air Force -- progressing from Private to Lt Colonel via graduation from Officer Candidate School and being commissioned in 1954.

I first met Don Harding at Chambley AB, France in July 1965 where we worked in adjoining offices on the 25th TRW headquarters staff. Lt Colonel Smith L. Von Fossen [25th TRW DCO] had handpicked Don Harding for assigned to Chambley to head the Wing Tactical Evaluation Section based on Don’s expertise acquired in the early fledgling days of the B-66, beginning with his assignment to the B-66B in the 47th Bomb Wing at RAF Sculthorpe, England.

After the accident at Spangdahlem, both Don Harding and Bob Sherman attended courses at Lowry Technical Training Center, Denver, Colorado where both of them told me the story of the crash.

As the outstanding leader that Don Harding is, he took charge of the situation following the accident in directing and assisting crewmembers to an assembly point off the right wing of the aircraft.

After initially exiting the burning aircraft, Don Harding pulled himself up on the right wing to assist egressing crewmembers. With 6 crewmembers accounted for, Don saw Bob Sherman struggling to exit the top hatch of the EWO compartment but unable to do so due to a broken leg, with his shin bone protruding from his flight suit.

Without hesitation, Don Harding ran through the fire on top of the fuselage, pulled Bob Sherman from the EWO compartment and then carried him back along the top of the fuselage and down the right wing to a safe point 40 or 50 yards from the right wing tip – just as the aft fuel tank exploded in the vicinity of the EWO compartment.

Since Don Harding isn’t the type to mention anything positive about himself, someone needs to do so – and Paul Harvey isn’t available.