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***image1***The 86th Airlift Wing’s operational support airlift fleet’s mission is to move distinguished visitors, aeromedical patients, and occasionally aircraft parts. On any given day, the fleet of C-20s, C-21s, one C-31 and C-40 aircraft move national and European theater leadership throughout the area of responsibility from Afghanistan to the United States, to South Africa and all points in between. At times even the best engineered machines can get into trouble and it takes a team effort to keep the mission moving forward. This story covers one of those events.
Flight crews and maintainers have to overcome many obstacles during their journeys. Sometimes problems occur that are totally unexpected but the proffesional team response is typical and expected. While carrying 13 passengers in July on a C-40 mission, things literally came to a halt. The plan was to stop for fuel in Ghana, Africa, and allow the party on board to perform an official visit with the local government and U.S. embassy officials. While moving the aircraft to refuel, all four main landing gear tires broke through the asphalt ramp and sank seven inches into the ground. Many attempts at moving the C-40 out of its position proved futile.
While the flight crew and higher headquarters developed a plan to dispatch a KC-135 out of RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, to pick up the official party and enable them to maintain their original trip schedule, the 86th Airlift Wing maintainers sent a maintenance recovery team to free the aircraft. The team consisted of active duty and civilian crash recovery experts, as well as a Boeing contract representative. The team and all of the required equipment were transported via an Air National Guard C-130 assigned to the 86th AW.
After assessing the situation, experts on the team cleared debris around the aircraft and used state-of-the-art equipment to raise each gear high enough to slide steel plates under the tires. Additionally, a path of steel plating was laid down to create a ramp to firmer ground. The C-40 requires a very strong tow bar which was not available. Delta Airlines loaned the team a tow bar and flew it in from New York City. Using careful, methodical processes, the aircraft was successfully moved. Shortly afterwards, the C-40 took off en route to Ramstein with the recovery team on board.
The aircraft is back, flying regularly scheduled missions, not missing a beat. Teamwork was the key to putting this jet back in the air. The team consisted of personnel from various backgrounds and locations; active duty from Ramstein and Mildenhall, National Guard from Minnesota; contract maintenance support from Boeing both at Ramstein and in Seattle; and Ghana airport personnel. They all played pivotal roles in the rescue, making it a global team effort.
(Courtesy of the 86th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron)
