FIGHTING FIRE BY AIR IS DANGEROUS

May 13, 1995 :: C-130E, 62-1838, c/n 3801, 'Sumit 38', operated by the 302d Airlift Wing, Peterson AFB, Colorado. Number 2 engine caught fire at a cruise altitude of 26K ft AGL after departing Boise, Idaho. One loadmaster activated all fire extinguisher carts, initially quenching the fire. However, fire re-ignited and the aircraft had no further extinguishers available. Crew attempted to divert to Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (MUO). Number 2 engine improperly disengaged from its mount, causing severe fuselage and wing damage. Wing eventually severed completely from the airframe, causing Sumit 38 to crash approximately 23 minutes after leaving Boise, killing all six crewmembers. Long Description: On May 13, 1995, after dropping off fifteen reservists in Boise, Idaho, a C-130 Hercules was on its way back to Peterson Air Force Base near Colorado Springs, CO. when a fire erupted in one of its engines which resulted in a horrific crash in the desert about 11 miles north of Bliss, Id. All six members from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the USAF reserve died in the resulting explosive crash. There isn't much left of the plane to mark where the doomed flight went down. A few small parts and pieces strung out in about a hundred yard long stretch and a monument placed by family members. This is what was said by one of the recovery crew: "The cause of the crash was that the number 2 (inside left wing) engine had a buggy undertemp sensor, causing the crew to enrich the fuel mixture, leading to an actual engine overtemp. One of the fuel lines ruptured or melted, causing the fire, and one of the crewmen hit the fire carts, but the fire re-erupted moments later, and there were no more extinguishers available for that engine. One of the pins that was supposed to melt in an engine fire, releasing the engine from the AC, failed to release the engine properly, while another worked properly. Still half connected to the wing hard point, the engine torqued at an awkward angle, causing severe wing and fuselage damage, which led to the crash. Crew: AC CC: Lt. Col. Robert Buckout Pilot: 1st Lt. Lance Daugherty Navigator: Capt. Geoffery Boyd Flight Engineer: CMSgt. Jimmy Vail Loadmaster: MSgt. Jay Kemp Loadmaster: SSgt. Michael Scheideman Date of Crash: 05/13/1995 Aircraft Model: C-130 Hercules Military or Civilian: Military Tail Number: 62-1838 Cause of Crash: Engine fire.