C130 Water Landing- been tried?
Thread Starter
C130 Water Landing- been tried?
The Hudson River story dredged up crewroom banter from the 80's where someone reckoned a Herc was landed on water deliberately (during the testing phase?) with not wonderful results.
Any truth in it? The carrier landing don't count!
CG
Any truth in it? The carrier landing don't count!
CG
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Puken
Posts: 358
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I was told that a Brazilian Herc ditched after running out of fuel. The ditching was successful and it stayed afloat for a while.
Apparently all crew survived the ditching but by the time the rescue had been effected there had been one fatality; the Captain shot the Nav for getting them lost.
Don't know of authenticity but it's a good story anyhow!
Apparently all crew survived the ditching but by the time the rescue had been effected there had been one fatality; the Captain shot the Nav for getting them lost.
Don't know of authenticity but it's a good story anyhow!
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 142
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm no expert on the piloting side of performing the ditching manoeuvre, but assuming it survived impact, the high-wing design means the fuselage would sit much lower in the water and probably tilted well to one side. Getting a full load of pax out of the top hatches would also be interesting.
N Joe
N Joe
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Germany
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Fat Albert
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Wilts, UK
Age: 63
Posts: 287
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On 22 Nov 1996 a US (ANG?) C130, call sign King 56, crashed in the Pacific Ocean after all 4 engines failed and the crew attempted to ditch the aircraft. 10 of the 11 crew were killed when the aircraft broke up on impact with the water.
I recall at the time there was much discussion about water landings/ditching and that whilst there had been several attempts there had never been a successful one.
I recall at the time there was much discussion about water landings/ditching and that whilst there had been several attempts there had never been a successful one.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Columbian ditching in 1982: Date: 16 OCT 1982
Type: Lockheed C-130B Hercules
Operator: Fuerza Aérea Colombiana
Registration: FAC1003
C/n / msn: 3572
First flight: 1960
Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 13
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 330 km (206.3 mls) E off Cape May, NJ, USA (Atlantic Ocean)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Terceira-Lajes AFB, Azores (TER/LPLA), Portugal
Destination airport: Bermuda-Kindley Field NAS (NWU), Bermuda
Narrative:
Ditched in Atlantic Ocean in 55kt winds after running out of fuel en route Azores-Bermuda due to navigation system failure; the Hercules remained afloat for 2 days.
Type: Lockheed C-130B Hercules
Operator: Fuerza Aérea Colombiana
Registration: FAC1003
C/n / msn: 3572
First flight: 1960
Crew: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Passengers: Fatalities: / Occupants:
Total: Fatalities: 5 / Occupants: 13
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 330 km (206.3 mls) E off Cape May, NJ, USA (Atlantic Ocean)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Terceira-Lajes AFB, Azores (TER/LPLA), Portugal
Destination airport: Bermuda-Kindley Field NAS (NWU), Bermuda
Narrative:
Ditched in Atlantic Ocean in 55kt winds after running out of fuel en route Azores-Bermuda due to navigation system failure; the Hercules remained afloat for 2 days.
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: NW FL
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Heard they had to deliberately sink the Columbian Herk as it drifted into the shipping lanes and posed a hazard. Could just be rumour to make a good story better - also heard the Nav died of lead poisoning. 
Of course, there's also Jockey 14 - the AC-130H that crashed off the coast of Somalia in '94 or '95. The USAF made a training tape out of interviews of the surviving crew.
Ditching is not something I'm keen to try in the Mighty Hercules...
Of course, there's also Jockey 14 - the AC-130H that crashed off the coast of Somalia in '94 or '95. The USAF made a training tape out of interviews of the surviving crew.
Ditching is not something I'm keen to try in the Mighty Hercules...
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hants
Posts: 2,295
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Given the high wing, and the fact it ditched in the ocean when there was 55Kts of wind, I think 'only' 5 deaths was a very good result and showed excellent skills by the crew.
Yes, Him
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lockheed did propose a flying boat C-130 and did model/tank tests; I think it was aimed at the Japan ASDF (MSDF?) which eventually bought the Shin-Meiwa US-1.
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Nomadic
Posts: 1,343
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Colombian deaths were all on the flight deck - so I am told. Survivors were down the back. apparently, the flight deck had a lot more than the 'standard' 4 crewmembers at impact.
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: The glasshouse, a stone's throw from you
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Mr Loader
To quote Wikipedia, are you thinking of this?
To quote Wikipedia, are you thinking of this?
- November 9, 1971 : An RAF C-130K, XV216, c/n 4243, from 24 Sqn crashed into the sea off Pisa with 46 Italian paratroopers onboard. There were no survivors.
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re-XV216 Crash Off Pisa
I was in XV217, 34 years later dropping Italian paratroops into Pisa (Ex Ponteveccio).
We were told that it was the first time Italian troops had dropped into Italy from a UK aircraft since the crash and it felt a bit strange being in XV217 following in the footsteps of XV216.
Needless to say all went well.
We were told that it was the first time Italian troops had dropped into Italy from a UK aircraft since the crash and it felt a bit strange being in XV217 following in the footsteps of XV216.
Needless to say all went well.