Investigation Summary
The flight was a transport mission carrying American airmen back to South Korea following rest and recreation leave. Approximately one minute after departure from Tachikawa Air Base, the No. 1 engine (outer left) suffered a mechanical failure and caught fire. The aircraft commander, Major Herbert G. Voruz Jr., feathered the propeller and initiated a return to the base. During the return maneuver, the crew attempted to maintain altitude while coordinating a ground-controlled approach (GCA). However, the aircraft's airspeed was allowed to drop below the minimum control speed for its heavy weight and three-engine configuration. Compounded by an improper flap setting for the emergency state, the left wing stalled. The aircraft entered a shallow spiral dive from which the pilots could not recover at such low altitude. The Globemaster struck a watermelon patch in Kodaira, disintegrated, and exploded, leaving no survivors.
Final Conclusions
The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and the improper use of flaps during a three-engine emergency return. While the mechanical failure of the No. 1 engine was the initiating event, the subsequent loss of control resulted from the aircraft being operated below its minimum control speed (Vmca) for the given weight and configuration. This led to an aerodynamic stall and an unrecoverable dive at an altitude too low for corrective action.
Video Analysis
The Tachikawa Air Disaster ： Uncovering the Evanescent ... — A documentary look at the June 18, 1953, crash of a USAF C-124 Globemaster in Kodaira City, Tokyo, which killed 129 people.
Watch on YouTube ↗If playback is blocked, the owner has disabled embedding — use the link above.
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney R-4360-20WA
The four 28-cylinder radial engines powering the C-124; the No. 1 engine failed shortly after takeoff.
Ground-Controlled Approach (GCA)
A radar-based landing system where controllers provide verbal instructions to the pilot; the crew was attempting to use this to return to base.
Interesting Facts
- 01This was the first aviation accident in history to result in more than 100 fatalities.
- 02The aircraft was carrying 122 passengers, most of whom were US airmen returning to the Korean War.
- 03The aircraft commander had over 6,000 hours of flight experience.
- 04The crash site was a watermelon patch in Kodaira, Tokyo, approximately 3.5 miles from the runway.
- 05Investigation revealed that improper flap settings contributed to the loss of airspeed and subsequent stall.
- 06At the time of the crash, it was the deadliest disaster in aviation history, a record it held until 1960.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Review of C-124 Emergency Procedures
The accident led to a re-evaluation of engine-out procedures and minimum control speeds for the C-124 Globemaster II, particularly during heavy-weight takeoffs.