Incident Overview
On 8 June 2020, at approximately 2205 hours local time, a C-130H Hercules (tail number 94-6706) assigned to the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard, and manned by Wyoming Air National Guard crew members from the 153d Airlift Wing, was involved in a mishap during a routine mobility airlift mission. The flight departed Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, at approximately 2053 local time, en route to Al Taji (Camp Taji), Iraq. All 26 mishap crew and passengers survived, with relatively minor injuries to two individuals. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, valued at $35,900,000.
Sequence of Events
The mission was the first planned leg of the crew's day. Start, taxi, takeoff, and cruise were uneventful. During the descent into Camp Taji, the crew prepared for a nighttime landing using night vision devices. However, the crew turned the aircraft earlier than the planned turn point, did not descend to lower altitudes in accordance with their planned descent, and allowed airspeed to exceed recommended maximum speeds for the configuration. During landing, the aircraft continued above the planned glideslope with excessive airspeed and a nose-down attitude until touchdown.
After touchdown, the aircraft began to "porpoise" (oscillate) down the runway. The crew used reverse thrust from the engines to slow the aircraft sufficiently to allow it to settle onto the wheels, enabling brake engagement. At that point, less than 1,000 feet of runway remained. The aircraft overran the runway and did not come to a complete stop until it impacted a 12-foot-high concrete barrier approximately 600 feet past the runway end.
Probable Cause
The Accident Investigation Board President found, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the causes of the mishap were the aircraft's excess airspeed above recommended landing velocity, which caused the aircraft to maintain lift and did not provide sufficient weight on wheels to allow braking action. Additionally, the crew's failure to adequately assess risk, failure to follow proper procedures, and poor communication were substantially contributing factors.