Incident Overview
An aircraft experienced a mishap while attempting to land at Thule Air Base in Greenland. The flight was part of a round trip from Thule to Sonderstromfjord Air Base and then back to McGuire Air Force Base. The aircraft carried sufficient fuel for the return flight to McGuire.
Flight Details
The aircraft departed Thule Air Base for a two-hour flight to Sonderstromfjord Air Base. After landing there, it was scheduled to return to Thule and then continue to McGuire AFB. The aircraft had enough fuel for the entire journey to McGuire.
Accident Sequence
Upon return to Thule, the crew conducted a Precision Approach Radar (PAR) approach to runway 11. The aircraft touched down slightly long on the 9,235-foot-long runway. After touchdown, the aircraft rolled for 1,500 to 2,000 feet without deploying thrust reversers or spoilers. The crew then initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the aircraft rotated abruptly, reaching a pitch attitude as high as 45 degrees. The aircraft stalled, causing the left wing to strike the ground and burst into flames. The aircraft became airborne again with portions of the left wing missing, flew for approximately 650 feet, then struck the ground with the right wing, which caught fire. The aircraft bounced once more and disintegrated about 500 feet from the runway centerline.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation determined that the crew was very inexperienced, with a captain who had less than 100 hours in command. The crew was probably affected by an optical illusion. The first 3,000 feet of runway 11 has an upslope of 1.51%, rising 59 feet from the threshold. At touchdown, the last two-thirds of the runway disappears from view, giving the impression of a very short runway.