First C-17 Globemaster loss
 

I got a call from a fellow retired airman this morning informing me of the news of the crash at Elmendorf AFB last night. It is the first loss of a C-17 crew and airplane, a day that we knew was coming and long overdue unfortunately. This jet has been flying since 1991 with just over 200 built and it is literally everywhere in the world doing anything and everything. It is a terrific airplane and we have done everything with it that it was designed for and under combat conditions. I served as a crewmember (loadmaster) on the C-17 for the last 11 years of my career having had the honor of being a member of the crew that delivered McChord AFB's first C-17 from the factory when we transitioned from the C-141 back in 1999. This crash is a huge loss to our community and of course to the families of the crew. I'm not feeling so well.

4 killed in plane crash at Alaska military base - Road Runner

sorry to here it...

Dan,

FYI,

I worked on the first 123 ships in Long Beach where they are made. I'm sorry to see this too. I have been wondering what tail number it was?

Did your bird have a name above the crew entrance door? Spirit Of ?. My contribution was design and development of the Crew door, wings, forward fuse structure, OBIGGs and landing gear.

It was just the matter of when we were going to lose one. It the nature of the beast. The airplane has a great track record and is safe.

If you hear or I hear what tail number it was I will post it. I'm at Boeing in Long Beach now..

Thanks

Bob

Bob, pm sent. DT

Solace to all in what will be a very tough time...it is, as Wolfe wrote, an occasion to bring out the dress uniforms for an event we all dread.

Rest steady, Airmen.

The crew list has been released. To my friend Tom, you were one of the good guys Thomas and you will always be a "Flying Knight". RIP gentlemen.

Air Force identifies four men killed in C-17 crash

Photos of the crash from a friend of mine at Boeing:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280860838.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280860856.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1280860870.jpg

Many, many years ago I was working as a contractor on that Douglas building in Long Beach. They were building KC-10's below where I was working but in the next building over they had a wooden mock-up of a C-17 that I climbed into and checked out, that thing was absolutely huge.
Hard to imagine how big it is until you've seen it up close.

going thru 50K e-mails while i was out of town and got an e-mail mentioning this. any cause listed yet?

Sad to see. I left MacAir just as the C-17 was coming online and never got to fly the bird.

RIP gents, hope you have CAVU WX and tailwinds enroute.

Would be curious as well to know what brought that beast down. I remember seeing the C-17 at the yearly Elmendorf AFB airshow as a kid (probably walked thru that very AC). I was amazed at how enormous it was (and the payload stats, etc.). Amazing it gets off the ground to begin with.

Dan,

Thanks for sharing this I am very sorry to hear this news. I was just up there in May. I have only jumped out of a C-17 never landed.

Shane