April 1980
Copyright © - Paul Minert
This aircraft was destroyed in a mid-air collision with another C-141 ( 65-0255 ) on 1 Dec 1992.
The mission was scheduled as a 4-ship night air refueling/ airdrop training
mission. Weather at the time of the incident was VMC but without a visible
horizon. The tanker had just reached the end of the track and had completed a
180-degree turn with the lead C-141 in trail at FL255.
Lead completed refueling and backed off into what was later described as an
"unusually close" post-refueling position and descended to FL250. The #2
aircraft completed refueling. During #2's back away, the pilot used 30 degree
of bank, creating a 22 degree heading change, and a relative closure rate of
250'/sec (150 knots).
He allowed the aircraft to descend below lead, recognized his altitude, and
pulled up from directly below the lead aircraft. The impact broke both sets of
wing boxes; the two aircraft broke up and crashed, with the loss of all 13
crewmembers
The lead aircraft received a SKE proximity warning less than 3 seconds before
impact. The #2 aircraft did not receive a proximity warning. Both crews had
lost sight of the other aircraft before the collision.
This information was provided by Paul Hansen.
