Copyright © - USAF Photo - Cam Rahn Bay 1966
Copyright © - Paul Minert
Date: September 1976 /Location: Unk.
This photo was taken at Diego Garcia in the early 80's.
The 8
th
MAS engineer shown is Mark Dallas.
Info provide by Tom Harps, a former 8
th
MAS Loadmaster.
Copyright © - Chuck Farga
Date/Location: Unk.
Copyright © - Frank Duarte Jr
Source: www.
Copyright © - Not sure, but possibly Altus AFB paper
Source: Dion Hinksey
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.
I have no idea if this is what happened in this case ..... but here's something
that happened to me and I'm sure many other pilots at one time or another. Just a
thought:
This 'trick' was played on me (and countless other victims) when I was at
McChord. What they would usually do went something like this:
When you were in the pattern on downwind you'd start the before landing checklist
but before you got to the 'gear down' part of it they'd simulate some other
emergency, such as an engine overheat. When you pulled the throttle back past a
certain point the horn would go off and they'd push the 'silence' button because
you could not hear yourself think while that was blasting.
Then you'd finish the overheat problem checklist, and have already turned base or
final...relieved to have solved that crisis .. fat, dumb and happy, and forget to
resume the before landing checklist. In the mean time he's switched to some tower
frequency you are not listening to and told them to shut up about their gear down
check (they are supposed to tell you!)...
Next thing you know you are about 200 feet off the ground on final and he looks
at you, shakes his head, smiles a big shit-eating grin and says "go around". Up
go the throttles... and you call for "Gear Up" ... and he says... "No need for
that, they're already up ... and oh by the way, you're busted!".
They TEACH them how to do this and they love to do it! Makes for lots of good
IP/FEAC stories around the bar! Assholes!
Mike Novack