No fatalities

1974-09-30: Lockheed C-130 Hercules (63-7802) — United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) — Kadena AFB, Japan

Kadena AFB, JapanLanding (descent or approach)

On September 30, 1974, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules (registration 63-7802) operated by United States Air Force - USAF (since 1947) was involved in an aviation accident near Kadena AFB, Japan during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The malfunction of the reverse thrust system on the fourth engine caused asymmetric thrust during landing. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781231089Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft veered off the runway during landing operations at Kadena Air Force Base, resulting in a hull loss but no injuries.

What happened

During the landing phase at Kadena Air Force Base, an aircraft experienced a loss of directional control immediately following touchdown. The plane drifted toward the right side of the runway before eventually coming to a stop off the paved surface. While the incident resulted in the total loss of the airframe, there were no injuries reported among those on board.

Findings

Investigations into the accident identified a mechanical malfunction involving the propulsion system. Specifically, the reverse thrust system on engine number 4 failed to deploy correctly. While the reverse thrust mechanisms functioned as intended on engines 1, 2, and 3, the failure of the fourth engine's system caused it to remain at full power during the deceleration process, leading to the uncontrolled excursion.

Probable cause

The malfunction of the reverse thrust system on the fourth engine caused asymmetric thrust during landing.