Accident Lockheed C-130H2 Hercules 86-0412,

ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 321694

Date:	Friday 27 June 2008
Time:	12:35
Type:	Lockheed C-130H2 Hercules
Owner/operator:	United States Air Force - USAF
Registration:	86-0412
MSN:	5098
Year of manufacture:	1987
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 38
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	7,5 km N of Baghdad International Airport (SDA) - Iraq
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Baghdad International Airport (BGW/ORBI)
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
A USAF C-130 transport plane sustained substantial damage in an emergency landing in a barren field shortly after takeoff from Baghdad. The 38 occupants suffered minor injuries,
Sixty seconds after the aircraft began its takeoff roll from Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, at approximately 313 feet above the ground and 163 knots indicated airspeed, the airplane's defensive system activated. The pilot reacted in accordance with applicable directives. After reacting to the defensive alert the crew realized that RPM on engine numbers 1, 3, and 4 had decayed to 60% where it remained for the rest of the flight.
After initial analysis. the crew initiated the multiple engine power loss/RPM rollback checklist to regain power on the stalled engines. Due to the low altitude and airspeed at the time of the defensive alert/reaction and the unexpected three engine power loss the crew was unable to complete the checklist and recover the malfunctioning engines. The crew initiated landing gear and flap extension but landed, partially gear down, in a barren field. Part of the main landing gear legs were forced into the fuselage, splitting part of the floor.
U.S. Air Force Maintenance and Explosive Ordinance Disposal personnel from the 447th Air Expeditionary Group were called in. They placed explosive charges on the plane and blew up the Hercules on July 7.

The Board President could not find clear and convincing evidence to determine the exact cause of the engine power loss. He did find evidence to conclude that several factors combined to significantly contribute to the Mishap Airplane (MA) landing partially gear down. Specifically, a defensive system alert, the aircraft's low altitude and airspeed at the time of the malfunction, and the decision to respond to the alert at low altitude and airspeed combined to result in the MA landing partially gear down.
All MA systems and performance were normal prior to the defensive system alert. An undetermined malfunction occurred during the defensive reaction that caused three of the MA's four engines to stabilize at an RPM (60%) which was not sufficient to maintain flight and the low altitude and airspeed at the time of the malfunction limited the time available for situation analysis and recovery.
The Mishap Crew (MC) had never been exposed to a loss of three or four engines on takeoff in the C-130H2 simulator which resulted in an emergency situation the MC had not seen before at a low altitude and airspeed. Checklist actions taken by the MC did not recover the engines and the Mishap Pilot (MP) appropriately performed a limited power, controlled descent, and forced landing resulting in only minor injuries.

Sources:

USAF AIB

Images:

photo (c) USAF / Tech. Sgt. Jeffrey Allen; N of Baghdad; 07 July 2008