Rivet Joint Fire at Offutt caused $62.4 million in damages
By Steve Liewer / World-Herald staff writer | Updated 14 hours ago
An improperly tightened nut caused an oxygen leak that led to a fire aboard an RC-135V Rivet Joint aircraft at Offutt Air Force Base in April, according to a news release from the Air Force’s Air Combat Command. I
nvestigators estimated the fire caused $62.4 million in damage to the four-engine jet, which carries sensitive communications gear.
The aircraft, from the 55th Wing’s 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron, had just begun its takeoff roll at 6:27 p.m. April 30 when crew members noticed smoke in the rear of the cabin. They alerted the flight crew, and the aircraft slowed to a stop before it left the ground.
Offutt Fire and Rescue crews, assisted by the Bellevue Fire Department, quickly extinguished the fire. All 27 crew members evacuated safely through a crew-entry hatch. Four were treated for smoke inhalation. The airfield was closed for 2½ hours.
An Accident Investigation Board blamed a depot maintenance worker for failing to properly tighten a retaining nut connecting a metal oxygen tube to a junction fitting, the news release said.
As a result, oxygen leaked into the cabin, and the environment ignited. The fire burned a hole several feet across in the roof of the aircraft just in front of the tail.
An Air Combat Command spokesman said the full investigative report will be released Monday.
The aircraft involved in the incident was built in the early 1960s and is based on the civilian Boeing 707 airframe.
Contact the writer: 402-444-1186, [email protected]
(Photo available but I don't know how to post it on this forum.)
Perhaps the whistleblower was correct! More to come.
Last edited by cpants; 9th Aug 2015 at 03:27.
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