Accident Overview
A crew departed Altus Air Force Base during the day for a refueling training mission. En route, the pilot reported technical problems to ground personnel and decided to divert to Clinton-Sherman Airport. For reasons unknown, the crew mistook the intended airport and instead landed on runway 17 at Clinton-Regional Airport, which has a length of 4,300 feet. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the airplane overran the runway, lost its landing gear, and came to rest in a field, broken into three sections. All five crew members were rescued, while the forward section was destroyed by a post-crash fire.
Aircraft and Crew
The aircraft involved was an airplane. It carried five crew members. No information about the aircraft type, registration, or operator is available from the source.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined that an overheated brake ignited hydraulic fluid in the left aft landing gear well. The resulting fire ignited tires and other components before burning through the keel beam and continuing into the right aft well. This was probably caused by a problem that occurred during taxiing at Altus Air Force Base.