What happened
During an Arc Light mission departing from U-Tapao NAS, an aircraft encountered significant difficulties during its takeoff roll. The flight was occurring amidst heavy rainfall when the pilot and copilot observed conflicting data from their respective airspeed indicators.
In response to these inconsistent readings, the captain initiated an aborted takeoff procedure. However, the aircraft could not decelerate sufficiently before the end of runway 36. The plane subsequently overran the runway, causing the landing gear to separate from the airframe. The impact resulted in a fire that consumed the vessel.
Findings
- All six crew members managed to evacuate the aircraft and sustained no injuries.
- The aircraft was completely destroyed by the subsequent fire.
- The primary factor leading to the overrun was discrepant airspeed indications between the cockpit instruments.