1967 plane crash in San Antonio

[Deep Forest]

Major June Lee Neely Jr. died on May 31, 1963 as he crashed his disabled Air National Guard F-102 jet aircraft in Leon Valley. It appears that he intentionally delayed his safe ejection in order to avoid Leon Valley elementary school and nearby populated area, thus allowing insufficient time for his parachute to open. The site is a large field at the end of El Verde Road.

http://goo.gl/maps/qCNfZ

[ktpugmom]

Here is what I know from this crash, which occurred when I was a young child:
My father, Captain Bill Thomas (Saturn Airways) was waiting to take this flight out. His close friend, Russ Hickerson, was piloting the plane into Kelly at the time it crashed. Saturn had a contract with the military flying cargo.
My dad was the first one on the crash scene and I still have personal effects from the pilots that my dad retrieved from the crash site. (My dad passed away from leukemia in 2002 after a long career as a commercial airline pilot). I understand that their instruments failed and they were flying the approach through dense fog at night. The post mentions they diverted from Kelly to the International airport. I know that they ran into a cliff at a high rate of speed not far from Shavano Park, as I recall. We lived near Shavano at the time. Since my dad was waiting to take the flight out and they were late and had not been heard from, my dad left the house late at night and went looking for them. I'm sure he knew the flight path well and knew where to look. When he arrived on scene, he said everyone was deceased and the plane was in fragments. He said one of the propellers sliced right through the cockpit immediately behind the pilots' seats. He found a rabbit dead some distance away, which he says died of heart failure due to the loud crash. It must have been a horrific noise. Those were all the details my dad ever revealed to me.
I am sure it was terrible for him since Russ was one of his best friends. While my dad was at the crash scene, my mom had to go with a priest to Russ' house to notify his wife. She met them at the door and my mom said she knew intuitively even before they arrived. They had 2 little girls a bit older than me at the time; we were friends and I was heartbroken for them, but being so young, I didn't know what to say at the time to help them. My family and theirs spent time together regularly cooking out, etc. I just remember it as an extremely sad, stressful night. I hope this sheds some light on the events, although this is secondhand information from my dad and I was young at the time. As an additional point, it was very important to my dad for people to know that this was not due to pilot error. It was critical instrument failure. My dad would want people to know that, since the usual routine is to blame the pilots first. Russ was an excellent pilot and my dad admired and respected him tremendously.

[cholo57]

Originally Posted by huckster

This 1967 crash was thoroughly scrutinized here a couple years ago. Including pictures, newspaper clippings, eyewitness accounts, location, etc.

My brother had just finished fueling that cargocraft that took off from Kelly Field in 1986 when it crashed. He worked for Southern Air very briefly after exiting the Air Force back then. He was Assist. Crew Chief on a C-130.

I apologize to the moderators for taking this a bit Off Topic.

I stumbled upon this post and I'm not sure if I have posted on the GBNF before and if I did, my apologies for repeating myself.

I was part of the loading crew on that sad morning on October 1986, LOGAIR "Charlie" flight bound for Robbins AFB, Georgia.
We had assigned flight destinations for the different LogAir routes. "Fox" Flights used to be for West Coast bound/inbound, "Yankee" Flights for Central regions, "Charlie" Flights for East Coast regions, "Papa" Flights, "Nancy" Flights, and so on. We would also do the loading of C-5's across the flight line belonging to the 433rd "Alamo" Wing on many occasions.
Working the "C" (night) shift at KAFB, we (loading crew) did the download/upload of cargo for the flight out finishing up at around 04:00 in the morning. We heard the taxiing and take off and within seconds we heard a loud crash/bang/explosion. We ran to the flight line to see what had happened and saw that it had crashed a few hangars down the line, a huge ball of fire and explosions going off, the result of just being fueled and loaded. We stood there watching in great sorrow and sadness for the crew members that moments earlier had seeing and talked to.
A lot of speculations and comments were made after this tragedy, it was rumored that it was loaded with ammo and weapons for the "Contras" in Nicaragua, that it was part of a CIA clandestine operations, and on and on, but I'm here to tell that all this is/was rumors and speculations and not facts.

LOGAIR "Charlie" Flight crew members; May they rest in peace in heaven.

[cholo57]

Originally Posted by michaelmk3906

I realize that this is going to sound odd, however......
My Father was the Flight Engineer on N15ST. I was wondering if the was some way that you could pass my contact information on to your brother? He most likely was the last person to see my father alive. I had not seem him for sometime before the accident, I would like to ask what he might remember.....
Thank you in advance for any help you may offer....

michaelmk3906,

After all these years, My deepest sympathy, for the loss of your father on that tragic night.

We, of the loading crew, used to have casual chats with crew members. A simple "how are you", "how's the weather up north", or "have a good flight" would be the normal talks.

[Paka]

Originally Posted by cholo57

michaelmk3906,

After all these years, My deepest sympathy, for the loss of your father on that tragic night.

We, of the loading crew, used to have casual chats with crew members. A simple "how are you", "how's the weather up north", or "have a good flight" would be the normal talks.

My sympathy as well to Michaelmk3906, having both a daddy and husband that flew for life for the AF, I can certainly appreciate the challenges it brings to ANY family.

If I remember correctly, while we were stationed in Japan, (1980/90's) a plane larger than a "trainer" crashed at Kelly Field and I think it took out part of the airtower/staging facility. We were serving overseas at the time, so I am assuming this is the crash of which you speak??? I DO remember something about "Evergreen" airlines and thoughts that it was connected with CIA activity....

but there WAS a "trainer" plane in the late 60's that crashed on approach off of 36th street when it clipped one of the high wire lines....and yes, both the crew members and 2 people in the house it crashed into died. We went there that night, so I am CERTAIN of that.

[cholo57]

Originally Posted by Paka

My sympathy as well to Michaelmk3906, having both a daddy and husband that flew for life for the AF, I can certainly appreciate the challenges it brings to ANY family.

If I remember correctly, while we were stationed in Japan, (1980/90's) a plane larger than a "trainer" crashed at Kelly Field and I think it took out part of the airtower/staging facility. We were serving overseas at the time, so I am assuming this is the crash of which you speak??? I DO remember something about "Evergreen" airlines and thoughts that it was connected with CIA activity....

but there WAS a "trainer" plane in the late 60's that crashed on approach off of 36th street when it clipped one of the high wire lines....and yes, both the crew members and 2 people in the house it crashed into died. We went there that night, so I am CERTAIN of that.

Again, pardon the OT.

Paka,

Yes, it did take out a couple of hangars or most of them, if memory serves me correct, as well as multiple vehicles parked across the street from the ramp/flight line, both GOV's (Government Owned Vehicles - I remember an AF transport bus) and POV's (Personal Owned Vehicles).
There was debris scattered on the parking lot of what we used to call "The Palace" back in my active duty days, which was the big 3 stories building housing CBPO, Chow Hall, Library, Airman barracks and different organizations.

Evergreen International was one of the cargo transport companies that LOGAIR used, the other ones that come to mind were TransAmerica, SAT (Southern Air Transport) and one more that I really can not remember at this time (age catching up with me ).
Evergreen would fly DC-9's or 707's/727's and once in a while an L-100 (extended-civilian version of a C-130), TransAmerica and SAT would use L-100's, the other company would use L-188's (propeller type).

[Paka]

Originally Posted by cholo57

Again, pardon the OT.

Paka,

Yes, it did take out a couple of hangars or most of them, if memory serves me correct, as well as multiple vehicles parked across the street from the ramp/flight line, both GOV's (Government Owned Vehicles - I remember an AF transport bus) and POV's (Personal Owned Vehicles).
There was debris scattered on the parking lot of what we used to call "The Palace" back in my active duty days, which was the big 3 stories building housing CBPO, Chow Hall, Library, Airman barracks and different organizations.

Evergreen International was one of the cargo transport companies that LOGAIR used, the other ones that come to mind were TransAmerica, SAT (Southern Air Transport) and one more that I really can not remember at this time (age catching up with me ).
Evergreen would fly DC-9's or 707's/727's and once in a while an L-100 (extended-civilian version of a C-130), TransAmerica and SAT would use L-100's, the other company would use L-188's (propeller type).

The "Palace" sure brings back memories for me....I was a lifeguard at the NCO Pool that was right across the street from "The Palace". It was the pool and then the tennis courts that cornered England Drive. Back in the day for sure....

[cholo57]

Originally Posted by Paka

The "Palace" sure brings back memories for me....I was a lifeguard at the NCO Pool that was right across the street from "The Palace". It was the pool and then the tennis courts that cornered England Drive. Back in the day for sure....

....and the softball field, where we used to play, exiting from the barracks

Carry on.