What happened
On the morning of the incident, a four-engine aircraft departed Dover Air Force Base at 06:21 local time, destined for Kuwait City with a scheduled stop at Ramstein Airbase, Germany. The flight was carrying a total of 17 people, consisting of 14 crew members and 3 passengers.
Approximately ten minutes after takeoff, the co-pilot notified Air Traffic Control regarding technical difficulties encountered during the flight. In response to the reported issues, the aircraft was authorized to perform an immediate return to the departure airfield. During the final approach to runway 32, the aircraft descended beneath the established glide path. The plane struck the ground a few hundred meters before reaching the runway, resulting in the fuselage breaking into three separate sections. The aircraft came to a stop in a nearby prairie.
Findings
- All 17 occupants sustained injuries during the impact.
- The primary factor leading to the crash was the aircraft's descent below the glide slope during the approach phase.