C-130 Hercules Shot Down Over Falkland Islands (TC-63)

Incident Overview On the morning in question, a C-130 Hercules departed Comodoro Rivadavia Airport at 0853 local time for a reconnaissance mission over the Falkland Islands. The aircraft arrived over the islands at 1015 local time, where it was detected by the radar of the British frigate HMS Minerva. In response, two RAF Sea Harrier jets were dispatched to intercept the approaching Hercules. ## Engagement and Crash One of the intercepting Sea Harriers, bearing the registration XZ451, launched two AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles at the C-130. The first missile missed its target, but the second struck the aircraft's left wing. Following the missile impact, the Sea Harrier pilot continued the engagement by firing the aircraft's 30 mm cannon. The C-130 subsequently lost control and crashed into the sea off Pebble Island. All seven crew members aboard the Hercules were killed in the incident. ## Official Findings The official investigation attributed the loss of the aircraft to being shot down by the pilot of an RAF Sea Harrier.