USAF E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft damaged in landing accident at Nellis AFB

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - USAF E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft damaged in landing accident at Nellis AFB (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:45:12 AM EDT

Aug. 30, 2009
Las Vegas Review-Journal

IN BRIEF
32-member crew escapes

Plane damaged while landing at Nellis AFB

A plane was damaged while landing at Nellis Air Force Base late Friday, causing the plane to catch fire and forcing its 32-member crew to escape.

The E-3 Sentry warning and control system, also known as an AWACS, was being flown by the 552nd Air Control Wing out of Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, according to a Nellis spokesman.

The crew was deployed to Nellis as part of the base's Red Flag exercises and was returning from a mission when the incident occurred. Officials did not say how the aircraft was damaged.

Emergency crews at the base quickly extinguished the flames and the plane was evacuated safely.

Investigators have not determined the cause of the accident.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/56171647.html

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:47:41 AM EDT

[#1]

Looks like the nose gear failed from the picture.

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:54:20 AM EDT

[#2]

Good thing the front didn't fall off...

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:55:46 AM EDT

[#3]

That will buff right out.

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:00:38 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

Good thing the front didn't fall off...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ

Glad the crew got out safely.

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:16:49 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Good thing the front didn't fall off...

Yup

Happens all the time, except that this time the front fell off.

Love that video

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:21:34 AM EDT

[#6]

"Shit! Now, we're gonna be late for happy hour at the O-club!"

Quoted:
That will buff right out.

Yeah, just rub enough tax-payer dollars on it.

TC

P.S.––Given the high number of operations, there are very few incidents involving "National Assets" like this.

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:42:34 AM EDT

[#7]

How much do one of those planes cost?

Posted: 8/30/2009 7:53:58 AM EDT

[#8]

I know where they can get a wing for the damaged J-Stars documented in another thread.

Posted: 8/30/2009 7:54:48 AM EDT

[#9]

I wish i could get a side gig on one of those.

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:11:08 AM EDT

[#10]

My Dad used to fly with the 964th AWACS out of Tinker 30 years ago..He's been to Red Flag several times...I need to send him that pic

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:17:29 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Good thing the front didn't fall off...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ

Glad the crew got out safely.

It got hit by a wave!

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:25:18 AM EDT

[#12]

I have a friend that flies those out of Tinker...I hope that's not his plane. That won't buff out.

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:37:03 AM EDT

[#13]

Mid air collison with UFO?

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:40:17 AM EDT

[#14]

There are 32 freaking people in an AWACS? Holy shit!

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:44:45 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
There are 32 freaking people in an AWACS? Holy shit!

Didn't you see the desert airstrike scene in Transformers? It was like a party in there...I thought I saw a girl handing out drinks

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:51:46 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
There are 32 freaking people in an AWACS? Holy shit!

+1...who knew

Posted: 8/30/2009 8:51:58 AM EDT

[#17]

That will buff out fairly easily as repairs go. Failed nose gear. Pilot <-> Co-pilot..." I thought you called barbers poles gear down & locked ? "

Posted: 8/30/2009 9:08:39 AM EDT

[#18]

I was the first crash truck on scene and began the inital attack with my turret. I came in on the nose. The whole shift did a great job. We were out there for 6 hours doing overhaul and dealing with hot spots.

Posted: 8/30/2009 9:09:51 AM EDT

[#19]

N_T wanted to give it that worn look

Posted: 8/30/2009 9:51:09 AM EDT

[#20]

I fly with AWACS and hopefully they will fix our old broke ass jets.

Posted: 8/30/2009 9:56:23 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
I fly with AWACS and hopefully they will fix our old broke ass jets.

You come TDY to Nellis often? Ever stop by the Fire Dept. smoke pit?

Posted: 8/30/2009 9:59:41 AM EDT

[#22]

They'll all get Air Medals for their heroism...

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:00:55 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
They'll all get Air Medals for their heroism...

I dont know about that.

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:02:12 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
I was the first crash truck on scene and began the inital attack with my turret. I came in on the nose. The whole shift did a great job. We were out there for 6 hours doing overhaul and dealing with hot spots.

pat,pat,pat. Good job I wish I would have been working. Everything happens when I'm not at work.

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:04:06 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
They'll all get Air Medals for their heroism...

I dont know about that.

I was joking...

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:24:06 AM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I was the first crash truck on scene and began the inital attack with my turret. I came in on the nose. The whole shift did a great job. We were out there for 6 hours doing overhaul and dealing with hot spots.

pat,pat,pat. Good job I wish I would have been working. Everything happens when I'm not at work.

Good thing your not coming back for a few more days.

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:38:09 AM EDT

[#27]

will be there in dec. supporting red flag...i love coming down there!

Posted: 8/30/2009 10:54:33 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
will be there in dec. supporting red flag...i love coming down there!

Guard unit I am guessing? What AFSC?

Posted: 8/30/2009 11:31:57 AM EDT

[#29]

Holy crap.......................

Posted: 8/30/2009 2:03:39 PM EDT

[#30]

reserve- 2T2
popped in early this summer with the wifey to show her around- she thought it was pretty cool- get the tour of the Thunderbirds building, emblem and all...they are super nice there - a senior msgt gave us the tour.

Posted: 8/30/2009 2:18:29 PM EDT

[#31]

That really sucks.

Posted: 8/30/2009 2:36:57 PM EDT

[#32]

Dammit!!! I missed it? That's what I get for being TDY...

Posted: 8/30/2009 2:50:19 PM EDT

[#33]

Quoted:

Quoted:
They'll all get Air Medals for their heroism...

I dont know about that.

I have no doubt that their next OPR's / EPR's will contain some mention of how their actions saved or contributed in the successful evacuation of a damaged aircraft and resulted in 32 lives being saved.

Bet on it.

Posted: 8/30/2009 2:56:53 PM EDT

[#34]

Just need to take a nose off of one of the many 135s at DM and put it on her and she will be as good as new.

Posted: 8/30/2009 3:48:13 PM EDT

[#35]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Good thing the front didn't fall off...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ

Glad the crew got out safely.

Now that's some funny shit

Posted: 8/30/2009 3:57:46 PM EDT

[#36]

which environment did this happen in, or did it happen outside the environment?

ETA: it looks like Boeing makes them better than Lockheed. C5 fronts do fall off

Posted: 8/30/2009 3:58:22 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Didn't you see the desert airstrike scene in Transformers? It was like a party in there...I thought I saw a girl handing out drinks

It IS the Air Force, after all.

Q: How did the Soviets know which airports to target during the Cold War?

A: If there was a golf course on the property, it HAD to be an AFB.

TC

P.S.––Good job Sig! When my airplane breaks going into Vegas, I'll be sure to come to YOUR airport!

(Just ask the Base Commander at Whiteman about TWA service to HIS airport...)

Posted: 8/30/2009 3:58:35 PM EDT

[#38]

Glad they are all safe.

Posted: 8/30/2009 4:00:29 PM EDT

[#39]

Given the high cost of national assets like AWACS, I guess this will be fixed. It's not like they can't get 707 nose sections out of the boneyard.

I wonder how much fire damage there is there.

CJ

Posted: 8/30/2009 4:04:56 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Given the high cost of national assets like AWACS, I guess this will be fixed. It's not like they can't get 707 nose sections out of the boneyard.

I wonder how much fire damage there is there.

CJ

are you sure? IIRC, there are a few KC-135's. Should be the same.

depending upon the ammount of damage,they can get that repaired.

I've worked a few 727/37/47 repairs that you wouldn't think were salvageable based upon looks of the damage.

Posted: 8/30/2009 4:21:29 PM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Given the high cost of national assets like AWACS, I guess this will be fixed. It's not like they can't get 707 nose sections out of the boneyard.

I wonder how much fire damage there is there.

CJ

are you sure? IIRC, there are a few KC-135's. Should be the same.

depending upon the ammount of damage,they can get that repaired.
I've worked a few 727/37/47 repairs that you wouldn't think were salvageable based upon looks of the damage.

The -135 is not a 707. NLG is different. They have plenty of spares for that. The structure is the hard part. There are a bunch of 707s in the boneyard however. That where we got the engines for the KC-135E's.

Posted: 8/30/2009 4:31:53 PM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Given the high cost of national assets like AWACS, I guess this will be fixed. It's not like they can't get 707 nose sections out of the boneyard.

I wonder how much fire damage there is there.

CJ

are you sure? IIRC, there are a few KC-135's. Should be the same.

depending upon the ammount of damage,they can get that repaired.
I've worked a few 727/37/47 repairs that you wouldn't think were salvageable based upon looks of the damage.

The -135 and 707 are similar, yet completely different airframes. The 707 is notably larger than the -135.

Posted: 8/30/2009 4:44:41 PM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Good thing the front didn't fall off...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-QNAwUdHUQ

Glad the crew got out safely.

It got hit by a wave!

thats not a real interview is it? The crazy accent is throwing my judgement.

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:16:54 PM EDT

[#44]

Quoted:
Just need to take a nose off of one of the many 135s at DM and put it on her and she will be as good as new.

Won't work. The E-3 is actually a 707 airframe. The -135 isn't. The landing gear are different and the fuselage has different dimensions.

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:21:04 PM EDT

[#45]

Quoted:
which environment did this happen in, or did it happen outside the environment?

ETA: it looks like Boeing makes them better than Lockheed. C5 fronts do fall off

http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/3826/bilde23lb.jpg

The C-5 pictured in your post stalled and impacted the ground prior to reaching the runway. They had an engine failure, shut it down, but flew with the wrong throttle pulled back on on approach (so they were in essence flying a two engine approach). Then they also configured incorrectly (used a different flap setting). They were low on glide path, and slow almost the entire time on final. Get yourself low, slow, and drug in while thrust defficient and your chances of not making the runway are pretty good.

The E-3 appears to have suffered a nose gear failure of some sort. The difference though in these two situations is the approach and manner in which the aircraft made contact with mother Earth.

Sup DLupini.

Posted: 8/30/2009 5:37:17 PM EDT

[#46]

Yeah, the 707 body is the same height but it's 17 inches wider. The 135 fuselage is oval, 17 inches narrower than it is tall, while the 707 fuselage is circular in cross section.

This means that a 135 cockpit definitely won't fit an E-3, which is based on a 707-320 airframe.

CJ

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:29:53 PM EDT

[#47]

Damn.

Sup DLupini

Posted: 8/30/2009 6:39:06 PM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:

I have no doubt that their next OPR's / EPR's will contain some mention of how their actions saved or contributed in the successful evacuation of a damaged aircraft and resulted in 32 lives being saved.

Bet on it.

This man speaks from lots of experience.