Incident Overview
A United States Air Force MC-130H Hercules aircraft sustained substantial damage during a landing at a U.S.-operated airfield in northern Iraq, reportedly Qayyarah Airfield West. The aircraft was on a nighttime logistics transport mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Prior to the landing, a trench had been dug in runway 33, approximately 2,700 feet from the southern end of the runway. The construction site was neither marked nor communicated via a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
Sequence of Events
On landing, at a speed of 80 knots, the Hercules encountered the construction works. The impact sheared off the nose gear and forward undercarriage. The left wing separated just outside the No. 2 engine. The aircraft subsequently caught fire. All crew members egressed safely, while the four passengers required assistance from ground personnel and aircrew to evacuate.
Investigation Findings
An official investigation determined the causes of the accident. The Board President identified three primary failures: (1) a failure on the part of the mishap site Assistant S-3 (Battle Captain[s]) to disseminate timely NOTAM information via appropriate channels; (2) a failure of the Army project manager for construction at the mishap site to ensure the construction was properly marked; and (3) a failure of the NOTAM reporting system to include oversight and supervision of the NOTAM processes within the area of responsibility.
Contributing factors were also noted: (1) a lack of training on the part of the U.S. Army to effectively prepare their personnel for combat zone airfield management and operations; and (2) the failure of the Garrison Commander at the mishap location to assume responsibility for ensuring safe flight operations at the airfield. The Board President further determined that numerous opportunities existed for airfield construction information to flow to the aircrew, but in each case the information was not properly disseminated prior to the aircrew departing for their scheduled mission.