USMC F-35B down in the US

[Gary]

We have an update from our colleagues at the United States Marine Corps:

At approximately 1600 it was reported that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated.

The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe. The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Updates will be provided as information becomes available.

For additional information, please call the office of Communication Strategy and Operations at (928) 269-5728 or email MCASYuma_media@usmc.mil.

https://www.facebook.com/NAFEC/

[Gary]

Marine F-35B Crashes After Collision With KC-130 Over California; All Aircrew Recovered Safely

By: Sam LaGrone

September 29, 2020 9:34 PM



A Marine F-35B aircraft has crashed near Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif. following an air collision with a KC-130J, defense officials confirmed to USNI News.

At approximately 4 p.m. local time, “it was reported that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated,” read a statement from Marine Corps spokesman Capt. Joseph Butterfield to USNI News.
“The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe.”

The KC-130, often used as an aerial refueler for Marine aviation, made an emergency landing near the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Therma, Calif., according to photos published by KESQ Channel 3.

In 2018, an F-35B went down outside of Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina. The pilot was recovered safely. In 2019, a Japanese F-35A crashed off the coast of Japan.

The following is the complete statement from the Marine Corps.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Sep. 29, 2020) — At approximately 1600 it was reported that an F-35B made contact with a KC-130J during an air-to-air refueling evolution, resulting in the crash of the F-35B. The pilot of the F-35B ejected successfully and is currently being treated.

The KC-130J is on deck in the vicinity of Thermal Airport. All crew members of the KC-130J have been reported safe.

The official cause of the crash is currently under investigation. Updates will be provided as information becomes available.

https://news.usni.org/2020/09/29/marine ... red-safely

[paddyboy]

Thank goodness they all survived

[Bucky P]

That's the KC130 that visited Marham a month ago!

[ColintheCaterpillar]

Glad everyone is safe. It’ll be interesting to see how it happened, and where it made contact; receivers hitting tankers historically often isn’t favourable for the tanker crews.

[ColintheCaterpillar]

Just seen the front on view. Hard to tell how much damage was caused in the forced landing of the ‘130, but a lot of damage to engines 3 & 4, and a blade missing on engine 1.

Very very lucky.

[Alf]

Just seen the front on view. Hard to tell how much damage was caused in the forced landing of the ‘130, but a lot of damage to engines 3 & 4, and a blade missing on engine 1.

Very very lucky.

166765/QB is shown in a news article for the KC-130J.. its says it landed in a field… another says it landed near Thermal airport..

[Canberra TT.18]

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/u ... cy-landing

More pictures here.
Clearly in a field. And some heavy damage to three engines.

Not want to speculate but this is 2nd incident/accident with KC-130J with a fighter in 2 years. (Other near Iwakuni Japan). And can't recall any incidents in the years before but my memory might be not that good.

[andygolfer]

That's the KC130 that visited Marham a month ago!

it was also at Mildenhall in mid September....
16-6765 KC.130J US Marines VMGR-352 mildehall 14-09-2020 1547 by Andrew Goldsmith, on Flickr


good new that all concerned are safe
Andy

[iainpeden]

There'll be an air force cross (or whatever the US equivalent is) for the Herc pilot.

[Thunder]

Wheels up landing as well by the looks of it. Interesting to see that the hose drum unit on the starboard wing is still there but the aux fuel tank is totally destroyed, but it’s the opposite way round on the port wing. Very lucky for both crews.

[Thunder]

No the drum units are separate from the aux tanks. I would hazard a guess that a flapping trailing hose caused that kind of damage.

[Starbuck]

Never noticed the drum unit missing on the left wing, you can see I guess fuel pouring out, maybe the left wing dipped into the ground upon the belly landing.

[Starbuck]

The drive has the comms audio from ATC, Raider says they had a mid air collision, could that have caused all the damage around the right wing and engines 3 & 4?

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... h-an-f-35b

[ColintheCaterpillar]

No the drum units are separate from the aux tanks. I would hazard a guess that a flapping trailing hose caused that kind of damage.

If you see the head on photo the port AAR pod is sat in the field, so it could be that the damage that side was on landing.

The starboard side is a mess, and as you say, the damage to the tank and the engines, without damage to the pod.

Not sure how a hose could bend that far forward in the slipstream to cause that.
If it is the right hand side it will be even more interesting to see the full details in due course. A little theory of mine that most accidents with tankers happen on that side. We shall wait and see.

[fiann21]

callsign was raider 50 link to audio file > https://mega.nz/file/9352WKQb#e6mykoKsR ... y3-xYSnK20

[Thunder]

On the KC-130 are both drum units deployed at the same time or can they be independently controlled?

I can’t see the port unit in the picture??

[ColintheCaterpillar]

On the KC-130 are both drum units deployed at the same time or can they be independently controlled?

I can’t see the port unit in the picture??

If you can find the head on picture it is roughly in line with the port wingtip, but quite some way behind.

The pods/hoses are controlled independently. The nature of their design, assembly and occasionally temperamental behaviour means you have to be able to do this. Same with controlling fuel flow etc.

[Thunder]

Thanks for clarifying the hose operation. Can’t find that photo though.

[Starbuck]

A better head on shot and you can see the left wing hose pod in the field.

https://twitter.com/AndyNetherwood/stat ... 62/photo/1