What happened
During a logistics operation intended to resupply the United States Marine Corps base at Hagaru-ri Air Force Base, an aircraft carrying ammunition experienced a significant incident upon arrival. While performing the delivery, the aircraft made contact with a bumpy and uneven runway surface with excessive force. This impact caused the internal cargo of ammunition to shift within the fuselage.
Following the movement of the load, one of the propellers struck the ground, leading to a loss of directional control. The aircraft subsequently veered away from the active runway, resulting in the separation of the landing gear. The sequence ended when the plane came to a halt off the paved surface. Although the aircraft was determined to be a total loss and was destroyed by fire five days after the incident, there were zero fatalities among the three crew members, all of whom remained unharmed.
Findings
- The primary factor in the accident was the shifting of ammunition cargo caused by a hard landing on an uneven runway surface.