Incident Overview
A crew departed Pope AFB to perform a LAPES (Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System) demonstration flight at Fort Bragg AFB. The first demonstration was completed successfully. During the second approach, the pilot-in-command descended too fast and executed the flare too late. The aircraft landed hard and rolled for approximately 1,000 meters before coming to rest in a wooded area, where it burst into flames.
Casualties and Injuries
The accident resulted in the deaths of four crew members and one person on the ground. Two other crew members sustained injuries.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft, on a demonstration mission, conducted an initial successful pass. On the subsequent approach, the descent rate was excessive and the flare timing was insufficient, leading to a hard landing. The aircraft continued rolling for about one kilometer before striking trees and catching fire.