A stunned Indian air force (IAF) is struggling to piece together perhaps its most perplexing accident. On March 28, the second C-130J Super Hercules in a two-aircraft formation fell out of the sky and crashed on a riverbank in central India.
Among the five men killed in the crash were the squadron’s second-in-command and a trainee pilot who was being supervised on low-level maneuvers.
Several factors have dumbfounded the air force: the aircraft was virtually new compared to the rest of the transport fleet. It is easily the air force’s most advanced transport plane, specially kitted for special operations and low-altitude maneuvering. And this accident is only the second crash of the J-model aircraft — the last was a Norwegian Super Hercules that plowed into a mountain in 2012.
“A fully proficient crew was flying a new and advanced aircraft in tip-top condition. There were no weather-related factors, and no distress call. There is no visible reason why this aircraft crashed,” says an officer at air headquarters. “Margins of error are strictly enforced in all training flights. This may be the most difficult accident for us to digest in recent history.”
Both Lockheed-Martin and the U.S. Air Force have offered to help the Indian air force with the investigation. In a statement a few hours after the crash, the aircraft’s manufacturer said, “We are saddened to hear the news of the C-130J accident in India today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the crew and their families at this time. We are ready to provide assistance as requested by the Indian air force.”
01/04/14 Aviation Week
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Among the five men killed in the crash were the squadron’s second-in-command and a trainee pilot who was being supervised on low-level maneuvers.
Several factors have dumbfounded the air force: the aircraft was virtually new compared to the rest of the transport fleet. It is easily the air force’s most advanced transport plane, specially kitted for special operations and low-altitude maneuvering. And this accident is only the second crash of the J-model aircraft — the last was a Norwegian Super Hercules that plowed into a mountain in 2012.
“A fully proficient crew was flying a new and advanced aircraft in tip-top condition. There were no weather-related factors, and no distress call. There is no visible reason why this aircraft crashed,” says an officer at air headquarters. “Margins of error are strictly enforced in all training flights. This may be the most difficult accident for us to digest in recent history.”
Both Lockheed-Martin and the U.S. Air Force have offered to help the Indian air force with the investigation. In a statement a few hours after the crash, the aircraft’s manufacturer said, “We are saddened to hear the news of the C-130J accident in India today, and our thoughts and prayers are with the crew and their families at this time. We are ready to provide assistance as requested by the Indian air force.”
01/04/14 Aviation Week
