C-130 goes down in SD

[arajca]

A MAFFS-equipped C-130 crashed while supporting firefighting efforts in South Dakota. Story here.

MAFFS - Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System

[Eclipse]

Hopefully its an isolated thing and not the start of another 2002...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_airtanker_crashes

[bosshawk]

Dropping retardent on fires is very difficult and dangerous work.  I was carded(registered) by the USFS a few years ago as an Air Attack Pilot.  Flying around fires is no picnic, so expect accidents.

This 130 was either a Guard or Reserve aircraft and likely in very good shape.  It likely an E or H model, which means that it is less than 20 years old.  The 130 that crashed in 2002 was an A model, likely built in the late 50s.  The Privateer dated from WW II.  They were entirely different era aircraft.

We see them fairly frequently where I live in the Sierra foothills: we do have fires occasionally.  Being under one of those hummers when they drop is a scarey proposition and it doesn't look like fun flying.

[bflynn]

I think the airplane was from a NC guard unit.

I've heard no word about the crew.

[ol'fido]

According to Yahoo news,it was from the 320th at Peterson AFB.

[bosshawk]

As I understand the situation, all eight of the 130s from three or four bases have all moved to Peterson for operations.  One of the contributing units is the 320th, but the home base of this one hasn't been released, as far as I can determine.

According to one news release that I have seen, three crew have been transported to hospitals.  I think that normal crew for one of these planes is six, so there are likely to be casualties.

[Eclipse]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/02/us/south-dakota-air-tanker-crash/index.html

" The U.S. Air Force is grounding all firefighting-equipped C-130 planes after the fatal crash of one in southwestern South Dakota, a military spokesman said Monday.
Air Force spokesman Todd Spitler announced that C-130s with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System, or MAFFS, won't fly until further notice. The South Dakota crash follows another crash of a non-military firefighing air tanker, along the Nevada-Utah border, several weeks earlier."

This article also mentioned "lives lost" but does not provide further details.

[bosshawk]

Thanks, Bob: I saw that same release on one of my aviation newsletters about noon.  Sounds to me like something mechanical may have happened.

[ol'fido]

As I understand the situation, all eight of the 130s from three or four bases have all moved to Peterson for operations.  One of the contributing units is the 320th, but the home base of this one hasn't been released, as far as I can determine.

According to one news release that I have seen, three crew have been transported to hospitals.  I think that normal crew for one of these planes is six, so there are likely to be casualties.

I know the 320th is stationed at Peterson, the 146th is from your neck of the woods, Paul, and someone mentioned NC. Wikipedia's article on the 146th says it is one of 4 units that have the MAFF capability. What are the other two?

[ol'fido]

Never mind. Found it. 145th AW in Charlotte, NC and 153rd AW in Cheyenne, WY.

[PWK-GT]

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123308296

[bosshawk]

The unit from CA is based on the Channel Islands, off the coast of Southern CA.  The only Air Guard unit that is anywhere close to me is the 144th Fighter Wing (F-16s) in Fresno.  They have the primary air defense mission in this part of the world.  They are scheduled to swap out their 16s for F-15s in the next year or so.

[ol'fido]

I meant in CA in general.

[bflynn]

http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/Community-Mourns-National-Guard-Members-161168835.html

Charlotte NC is reporting four fatalities out of the six man crew - all from the NC guard unit.  They had just arrived on site on Saturday before the Sunday night crash.  One gentleman has just arrived back home from Afghanistan in January.

Rest in peace.

[bosshawk]

Just read in the online version of the Fresno Bee that six of the 130s have been returned to service.  The 7th has returned to its base in NC.  The AF announced that the standdown was to evaluate safety procedures.