What happened
On May 2, 2018, a WC-130H, registration 65-0968, crashed approximately 1.5 miles northeast of Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia. The aircraft, operated by the 156th Airlift Wing of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, was being ferried to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona for decommissioning. The flight crew and four mission essential personnel, totaling nine fatalities, were on board the aircraft.
The aircraft had been stationed at the airport since early April 2018 for scheduled fuel cell maintenance and repairs to the number one engine. During the takeoff roll, the number one engine experienced RPM fluctuations and failed to reach the required performance levels. As the aircraft approached rotation, the engine's torque and RPM decreased significantly, reducing available thrust. The crew did not identify the engine's performance decay until the aircraft began to veer left toward the grass during the takeoff roll.
After the aircraft became airborne, the crew retracted the landing gear and identified the malfunction in engine one. Although the pilot requested an engine shutdown, the crew did not follow the prescribed emergency procedures or the After Takeoff checklist, and the flaps were left at 50 percent. During the climb, the pilot applied excessive left rudder and banked into the malfunctioning engine. At an altitude of roughly 900 feet, the aircraft entered a left skid and a wing stall, leading to a loss of control and impact with Georgia State Highway 21.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was improper execution of emergency procedures and flight maneuvers following an engine power loss.
- The crew failed to complete the required engine shutdown and takeoff continued after engine failure protocols.
- The pilot's use of excessive left rudder and banking into the inoperative engine contributed to the aerodynamic stall.