U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft suffered a runway excursion and crashed into a concrete wall. Onboard were 7 crew and 26 passengers. Four occupants were injured. There was a post-crash fire.
The incident with the USAF C-130H transport aircraft occurred at approximately 10:10 PM local Iraqi time on June 8, Monday.
The service members’ injuries were not life-threatening, and they are being treated at the base’s medical facility, according to a release by Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve.
The aircraft involved was from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing based at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. The crash occurred at Camp Taji Air Base, approximately 17 miles north of the Baghdad.
Video shared on Twitter from the C-130H incident in Iraq showed that the aircraft may have crashed through a barrier at the end of a runway.
The air field’s crash, fire and rescue team responded within four minutes, the release said.
A statement issued Monday evening suggested the C-130 belonged to the Wyoming Air National Guard.
“We have been made aware of an aircraft mishap involving members of the Wyoming Air National Guard while conducting operations in a deployed location,” said a message on its official Facebook page. “A C-130 departed the runway surface causing non-life threatening injuries to four on board. More information will be forthcoming as made available.”
“The quick actions of the airfield crash, fire and rescue team helped patients, and limited damage to equipment and infrastructure,” the release said.
The Air Force had another mishap, as well, today with one of its F-35As. That aircraft’s gear collapsed after landing at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
