Rivet Amber, an RC-135E, 62-4137, operating out of Shemya AFB, went down in the Bering Sea on June 5, 1969. Despite a thorough search of the area, no wreckage and no survivors were ever found. The best theory is that the plane suffered some sort of catastrophic mechanical failure, as the last radio contact from the aircraft mentioned "vibration in flight". Rivet Amber was returning to Eielson AFB for maintenance with a crew of 19 on board.
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The last radio contact with Rivet Amber began about 45 minutes after takeoff at 0936 Local/1736 Zulu. Rivet Amber was under the call-sign Irene 92.
1736 Zulu:
Rivet Amber: "Elmendorf Airways, Elmendorf Airways, Irene 92, Irene 92, over."
Elmendorf AFB: "Irene 92, Elmendorf, Go Ahead."
RA: "Elmendorf Airways, Irene 92 experiencing vibration In flight. Not certain of the Emergency. We have the aircraft under control, Irene 92."
1737 Zulu:
EAFB: "This is Elmendorf. You say you're not declaring an Emergency. Is that Charlie?"
RA: (Keying-XMTR, followed by heavy breathing)
RA: "Roger … Ahh …" (Keying-XMTR) … "Ahh …" (Keying-XMTR, then silence) …
RA: "Crew Go To Oxygen."
EAFB: "This is Elmendorf. Say again? Irene 92, Elmendorf?"
RA: (Keying-XMTR)
EAFB: "Irene 92, Elmendorf?"
1738 Zulu:
RA: (Keying-XMTR)
1739 Zulu:
EAFB: "Irene 92, Irene 92, Elmendorf, Elmendorf"
RA: (Keying-XMTR)
RA: (Keying-XMTR)
RA: (Keying-XMTR)
Unidentified key clicks (Keying-XMTR) continued until 1822 Zulu. No further positive contact with Rivet Amber was made after 1737 Zulu.
Unable to make contact with Rivet Amber, Col. Leslie W. Brockwell, commander of the 6th Strategic Wing, initiated a search and rescue. Both planes and Coast Guard searched the waters from Shemya to the Alaska mainland. For two weeks, the water was patrolled for any sign of the plane or survivors, but nothing was ever found. The entire crew was presumed lost at sea.
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