Introduction
On 19 May 2013, a C-130J Hercules, tail number 04-3144, assigned to the 41st Airlift Squadron, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, was involved in a runway excursion at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Shank, in Northeast Afghanistan. The aircraft was on an Aeromedical Evacuation (AE) mission and was crewed by five active duty C-130J crewmembers from the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, deployed from the 19th Airlift Wing, and six reserve AE crewmembers from the 651st Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron.
Sequence of Events
The mishap occurred during the third of five planned legs that day. The destination airfield was at an elevation of 6,809 feet above mean sea level (MSL). Winds at the time varied from 200 to 250 degrees, gusting from 6 to 28 knots. On the second attempted landing, the aircraft touched down approximately 1,500 feet down the runway but at an indicated airspeed of 27 knots faster than the computed touchdown landing speed. The aircraft departed the end of the paved runway at approximately 49 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS).
Damage
After leaving the runway, the aircraft struck a ditch, which collapsed the nose gear and subsequently tore the right main landing gear from the fuselage. The right outboard engine struck the ground, breaking pressurized fuel and oil lines. Fluid was sprayed over the cracked engine casing, and the right wing caught fire. The aircraft came to a stop approximately 544 feet beyond the end of the paved runway. The total estimated loss was $73,990,265. No damage to civilian property occurred.
Evacuation
The mishap crew, the Aeromedical Evacuation crew, and two ambulatory patients safely evacuated the aircraft through the top flight-deck emergency escape hatch and assembled 600 feet forward of the aircraft's nose. There were no fatalities and no significant injuries.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that on the second landing attempt at a high-altitude airfield (6,809 feet MSL), poor crew resource management (CRM) coupled with a late power reduction by the mishap pilot 1 (MP1) caused the aircraft to touch down 27 KIAS faster than computed touchdown landing speed. Due to unique aircraft performance characteristics at high-altitude airfields, the aircraft could not perform a 50% flap landing within the available runway at that speed. The actual landing speed overtasked the aircraft's capability to stop. Factors that substantially contributed included channelized attention, inadequate risk assessment, delayed necessary action, response set, and procedural error.