1991 Gulf War Boeing KC-135 accident

1991 aviation accident over Saudi Arabia September 2025 1991 Gulf War Boeing KC-135 accident 160113-F-OA533-008.webp The damage to the aircraft Accident 1991 02 06 y Dual engine separation due to wake turbulence; subsequent emergency landing Near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia KC-135E Kansas ANG landing 2004.JPEG 58-0013, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 2004 with a newer liveryLandis Tony A Look Back... https://media.defense.gov/2022/Jun/30/2003028574/-1/-1/0/LOOKBACK_TANKERS-FINAL-SMALL.PDF Air Mobility Command en Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker United States Air Force WHALE 05 58-0013 Prince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Prince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 4 4 0 4 On 6 February 1991, a Boeing KC-135 of the United States Air Force (USAF) operated by the 190th Air Refueling Wing took off from Prince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, en route to a Gulf War refueling mission. The aircraft carried a crew of four. While in-flight, the aircraft lost engines one and two, both left-wing engines, while flying over the Saudi Arabian desert. To counteract the plane's descent, the pilots began dumping fuel. During the landing in Jeddah, due to the damage of the engine's hydraulic system, most of the descent was performed without autopilot. The aircraft landed safely at Jeddah.Ranter Harro Accident Boeing KC-135E Stratotanker 58-0013, Wednesday 6 February 1991 https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/325855 2025-01-14 asn.flightsafety.org Background Aircraft The aircraft involved was a Boeing KC-135E, manufactured by Boeing in 1959 with serial number 17758. It was powered by four Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-102 engines. Crew The crew consisted of:Voices_from_an_Old_Warrior.pdf https://www.theboomsignal.net/pdf/Voices_from_an_Old_Warrior.pdf January 16, 2025 www.theboomsignal.net 20 January 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250120091813/https://www.theboomsignal.net/pdf/Voices_from_an_Old_Warrior.pdf dead 106 Aircraft Commander Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Sweeney Pilot Jay Selanders Navigator Greg Mermis Boom Operator Steve Stucky Accident WHALE 05 was scheduled for take off from Jeddah at 17:24 local time and climbed to 25,000 feet (7,600 m) to perform an aerial refueling. Another Boeing KC-135 took off at around the same time and was supposed to fly the same route. The co-pilot of the second aircraft ascended to the planned altitude of 25,000 feet (7,600 m). After reaching the target altitude, autopilot was engaged with the aircraft about one nautical mile behind the other KC-135.national guard.mil/Resources/Archives/The-On-Guard/Filed/63083/ https://www.nationalguard.mil/Resources/Archives/The-On-Guard/FileId/63083/ January 16, 2025 www.nationalguard.mil1 Approximately 45 minutes after takeoff, WHALE 05 encountered forward wake turbulence and suddenly banked more than 110 degrees to the left, and within a few seconds it banked more than 110 degrees to the right.April 2025 The captain activated the speed brakes and restored the aircraft to a near level attitude. During the sequence of events, both left wing engines detached from the aircraft.4 October 2021 13 October 2010 Bill en Gilliand Fuerza Aérea de los Estados Unidos The Desert: Part Three https://www.190arw.ang.af.mil/News/Features/Display/Article/437903/the-desert-part-three/ 190th Air Refueling Wing4 October 2021 en 25th Anniversary of Desert Storm: Grissom Airmen share their story https://www.grissom.afrc.af.mil/News/Article/675853/25th-anniversary-of-desert-storm-grissom-airmen-share-their-story/ Grissom Air Reserve Base January 13, 2016 After recovery, fire alarms on the two left side engines activated. The captain ordered the boom operator to look at the engines, who reported that there was no fire but that the engines were physically gone.2021-05-17 Gen. Mick Baier: 190th Air Refueling Wing expected one in five losses in Gulf War - News - The Topeka Capital-Journal - Topeka, KS https://www.cjonline.com/article/20160115/NEWS/301159726 2025-01-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20210517171941/https://www.cjonline.com/article/20160115/NEWS/301159726 May 17, 2021 As the aircraft had only been airborne for a short time, it still held almost 31,000 gallons of fuel.Leone Dario 2017-01-30 KNOWN AND UNKNOWN FACTS OF THE KC-135 STRATOTANKER PARTICIPATION IN OPERATION DESERT STORM https://theaviationgeekclub.com/known-unknown-facts-kc-135-stratotanker-participation-operation-desert-storm/ 2025-01-14 The Aviation Geek Club en-GBLt. Colonel Kevin Sweeney Receives Honor From General Charles Horner https://www.newswire.com/news/lt-colonel-kevin-sweeney-receives-honor-from-general-charles-horner-111346 2025-01-14 www.newswire.com en In addition, the hydraulic reception, fuel pumps, and landing gear were damaged when the engines detached, and fuel was spilling from the left wing.1106 thumb|The aircraft involved, seen here after the emergency landing To maintain altitude and the speed of fuel discharge, the captain declared "Mayday" and decided to return to Jeddah. The aircraft returned to level flight at 16,000 feet (4,900 m). The aircraft arrived at Prince Abdullah Air Base an hour and fifteen minutes later. Since the hydraulic system had been damaged, the landing gear was deployed manually. The pilots requested to land on runway 34L because it was the longest runway and had an instrument landing system (ILS) approach.April 2025 During the landing, the pilot deployed the thrust reverser on the number three engine, but immediately discontinued its use due to difficulty in directional control. Although several tires were damaged, the aircraft came to a stop at about 300 m (1,000 ft) from the end of the runway.KSNGMuseum 2013-07-19 190th Air Refueling Wing https://ksngmuseum.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/190th-air-refueling-wing/ 2025-01-14 Kansas National Guard Museum en1 The entire crew of WHALE 05 were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/6-february-1991/ 6 February 1991 This Day in Aviation 2025-02-06 Bryan Swopes 2025-11-07 Dramatization The accident was featured in the seventh episode of the twenty-first season of the Canadian show Mayday: Air Disasters, titled "Mission Disaster."TV NatGeo National Geographic - Lentoturmatutkinta https://www.natgeotv.com/fi/ohjelmat/natgeo/lentoturmatutkinta 2025-01-29 www.natgeotv.com fi See also Trans-Air Service Flight 671 – A Boeing 707 that suffered a dual engine separation on 31 March 1992, landing safely, a year after this accident. China Airlines Flight 358 – On 29 December 1991, this Boeing 747 experienced a dual engine separation, killing all five crew members, in the same year of this accident. El Al Flight 1862 – On 4 October 1992, 47 people were killed when the flight suffered a dual engine separation, leading to a loss of control and accident, killing all 4 crew and 43 people on the ground. References 2 Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1991 Category:Gulf War Category:1991 in Saudi Arabia Category:Aviation accidents and incidents caused by in-flight structural failure Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving in-flight engine separations Category:Accidents and incidents involving United States Air Force aircraft