 C-130A-45-LM (57-0453), modified to represent 56-0528, on display at the National Cryptologic Museum, Fort Meade, MD | |
| Incident summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | September 58, 1958 |
| Site |
40°33′0″N 44°6′0″E / 40.55°N 44.1°ECoordinates: 40°33′0″N 44°6′0″E / 40.55°N 44.1°E |
| Passengers | 11 mission crew from the United States Air Force Security Service (USAFSS) |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 17 (presumed - only the six flight crew remains were re-patriated) |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Aircraft type | Lockheed C-130A-II-LM |
| Operator | United States Air Force on behalf of the USAFSS |
| Registration | 56-0528 |
| Flight origin | Incirlik Air Base Turkey |
| Destination | Incirlik Air Base Turkey |
The 1958 C-130 shootdown incident was the shooting down of an American Lockheed C-130A-II-LM reconnaissance aircraft which had intruded into Soviet airspace.
On September 2, 1958, a Lockheed C-130A-II-LM, (s/n 56-0528), from the 7406th Support Squadron departed Incirlik Airbase in Turkey on a reconnaissance mission along the Turkish-Armenian border. It was to fly a course that would parallel the Soviet frontier, but not approach the border closer than 100 miles. The crew reported passing over Trabzon in Turkey at 25,500 feet and then acknowledged a weather report from Trabzon, the last communication received from the flight. It was later intercepted and shot down by four Soviet MiG 17 34 mi (55 km; 30 nmi) North-West of Yerevan. The six flight crew were confirmed dead when their remains were re-patriated, but the 11 intelligence-gathering personnel have never been acknowledged by Soviet / Russian authorities.[1][2][3][4]
Probable cause[]
The crew may have become confused with navigational beacons in the USSR with similar frequencies to the Trabzon and Van beacons they were briefed to use.[3]
References[]
- ↑ "60528's Last Flight" (pdf). National Security Agency. http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/c130_shootdown/60528s_Last_Flight.pdf.
- ↑ "The Shootdown of Flight 60528". NSA. http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/vigilance_park/shootdown_flight60528.shtml. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Criminal Occurrence description". Aviation Safety network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19580902-2. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ↑ "Lockheed C-130A-II....". http://www.spyflight.co.uk/c130.htm. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
Bibliography[]
- "Criminal Occurrence description". Aviation Safety network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19580902-2. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- "The Shootdown of Flight 60528". NSA. http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/vigilance_park/shootdown_flight60528.shtml. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- "60528's Last Flight" (pdf). National Security Agency. http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/c130_shootdown/60528s_Last_Flight.pdf.
- "Lockheed C-130A-II....". http://www.spyflight.co.uk/c130.htm. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
External links[]
The original article can be found at 1958 C-130 shootdown incident and the edit history here.