1977 Yokohama F-4 crash

1977 Yokohama F-4 crash

An RF-4B Phantom II similar to the accident aircraft
Accident
Date	September 27, 1977
Summary	Mechanical failure leading to in-flight fire
Site	Yokohama, Japan 35°33′36″N 139°32′42″E
Total fatalities	3 (on ground; includes one death five years later from injuries related to the crash)
Total injuries	6 (on ground)
Aircraft
Aircraft type	McDonnell Douglas RF-4B Phantom II
Operator	United States Navy / United States Marine Corps
Registration	157344
Flight origin	Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Passengers	0
Crew	2
Fatalities	0
Injuries	0
Survivors	2 (all)
Ground casualties
Ground fatalities	3
Ground injuries	6

The 1977 Yokohama F-4 crash (横浜米軍機墜落事件, Yokohama Beigunki Tsuiraku Jiken, lit. "Yokohama American Military Aircraft Crash Incident") occurred on 27 September 1977, in Yokohama, Japan. In the crash, a United States Marine Corps (USMC) McDonnell Douglas RF-4B-41-MC, BuNo 157344, c/n 3717, 'RF611' (a reconnaissance variant of the F-4) of VMFP-3 flown by a USMC crew based at nearby Naval Air Facility Atsugi, en route to USS Midway in Sagami Bay, suffered a mechanical malfunction, the port engine caught fire, and crashed into a residential neighborhood. The crash killed two boys, ages 1 and 3, and injured seven others, several seriously. The two-man crew of the aircraft, Capt. J. E. Miller, of Mendota, Illinois, and 1st Lt. D. R. Durbin, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, ejected and were not seriously injured.

The crash, which occurred near present-day Eda Station, destroyed several houses. The two young boys initially survived the crash into their home, but died later from severe burns. The boys' mother, Kazue Doshida, was also severely burned. Due to the fear that she would be adversely affected during her recovery by the shock, she was not told until 29 January 1979, that her sons had died. Upon hearing of their deaths, Doshida responded that she wanted to hold them one more time. Doshida died in 1982, aged 31, from complications related to her injuries.

Papa, Mama, bye-bye

In the vicinity of the crash site, nine civilians were injured by the fire and were transported to the hospital by car one after another.

At this time, both the eldest son and the second son repeatedly appealed for water, but the doctor did not give permission. The eldest son muttered, "Papa, Mama, bye-bye," and this was the last word.

The second son sang "poppopo" at the beginning of his favorite song about pigeon, and then died.

The brother's mother, a 26-year-old woman, also suffered burns all over her body and was in and out of the hospital for a long period of time while undergoing 70 skin graft surgeries. As for the skin to be transplanted, the amount provided by her husband and father was sorely lacking, so when a newspaper recruited donors, about 1,500 people applied, and 42 people actually received skin transplants.

Although she temporarily recovered physically enough to undergo rehabilitation, the mental damage was immeasurable. She was eventually transferred to a psychiatric hospital. However, her family claims her transfer was "semi-coercive."

She died of psychogenic respiratory distress on January 26, 1982, four years and four months after the accident. She was working hard to rehabilitate herself with the desire to see her child, and was not told that her two children had died the day after the accident.

Memorial

In memorial to Doshida, a statue was erected in 1985 in a Yokohama park. The statue depicts her holding her two sons.

See also

• 1959 Okinawa F-100 crash
• 1960 Munich C-131 crash
• 1964 Machida F-8 crash
• 1988 Remscheid A-10 crash
• Cavalese cable car disaster (1998)

References

• Hirano, Keiji (Kyodo News) (28 September 2012). "Group saves records of fatal U.S. fighter jet crash". Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2012-09-28.
• Injured Residents against the Two U.S. Pilots and the State (Japan), Case No. wa-20965 (1980). The Hanreijiho (Judicial Reports) No. 1225, pp. 45 et seq. Dismissal (Yokohama District Court 4 March 1987) ("As is evident from the tenor of the oral proceedings, the accident occurred in the performance of the defendants’ official duties as members of the U.S. armed forces. We hold, therefore, that the two defendants are not liable for reparations and that the plaintiffs’ present claim against the two defendants is inappropriate.").