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C-141 Tail Number: 65-0280
Copyright: Paul Minert
Date: September 1976 /Location: Unk.
This photo was taken at Diego Garcia in the early 80's.
The 8th MAS engineer shown is Mark Dallas.
Info provide by Tom Harps, a former 8th MAS Loadmaster.
Copyright: Chuck Farga
Date/Location: Unk.
copyright: Frank Duarte Jr
Source: www.airliners.net
This incident in 65-0280 happened on 3 January 1983.
The highly experienced crew of an instructor pilot, an upgrading instructor pilot, and two engineers had planned an instructor upgrade training mission from Altus AFB, Oklahoma to Amarillo Airport, Texas.
Maintenance problems prior to takeoff delayed the mission departure, and necessitated the latter portion of the mission to be flown after nightfall. Near the end of the training mission, with the upgrading instructor instructing from the left seat, he briefed an Approach Flap touch-and-go followed by a departure back to Altus for a No-Flap full stop landing.
Turning on to final the crew lowered the flaps to "Approach", but an extraneous radio call from tower broke the crews' concentration and habit pattern. The upgrading instructor failed to direct landing gear extension and accomplishment of the "Before Landing Checklist".
Still distracted, none of the other crew members noticed the omission. Because of this omission, the "Landing Gear Warning Horn Cutout Switch" was not returned to the "Normal" position. If a normal approach had been planned using "Landing Flaps", the Landing Gear Warning Horn would have warned the crew of the retracted landing gear. This warning system was not available with Approach Flaps selected.
With no warning of retracted landing gear available, the crew completed a normal approach and flare. The aircraft settled smoothly on its belly. The crew was initially unaware anything unusual had happened, until notified by the tower that they were trailing a large number of sparks. Friction brought the aircraft to a stop and the crew evacuated successfully. Aircraft damage was limited to a 6"-8" strip along the belly and damage to the drain masts below #1 and #4 engines. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.
This incident was one of several MAC gear-up incidents occurring within several months, and only shortly after Accroach Flap landings were approved for use by C-141 flight crews. The installation of GPWS has reduced the possibility of similar accidents. The GPWS Mode 4 provides a warning to the crew as they pass 500 feet on the radar altimeter.
Information provided by Paul Hansen.
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Last Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2006 4:29 PM