C-141 Wing failure?

[Semaphore Sam]

I heard the other day a C-141, while refueling at Memphis, had a wing 'collapse'! Any word yet on why? Is the remaining fleet grounded? How many were left flying before this incident, out of how many produced? I flew them between '70 & '78, & remember a beautiful, forgiving airplane; I would be sorry, but not surprised, to see them finally grounded, considering the heavy use they've all had pre, during, & post-Vietnam. Like the C-17, powers-that-be didn't want to commit them to tactical airlift, but we practiced CAM (airdrops, ERO's, etc) during the early 70's, with consequent stress on airframe. I guess it's about time.

[I. M. Esperto]

Sam - This from AvFlash:
AIR FORCE GROUNDS BIG BIRDS
The Air Force has grounded all 99 of its C-141 Starlifters after a wing
collapsed while one of the aircraft was being refueled at Memphis
International Airport last Friday. The Air National Guard C-141 spilled
about 9,000 gallons of jet fuel on the tarmac. One airman suffered a
broken leg when he slipped on the spilled fuel. The Air Force is in the
process of replacing the aging Starlifters, which began service in 1964,
with the C-17 by 2006. The cause of the wing collapse is under
investigation.

[General41]

The shortest grounding in history! The USAF has now lifted the grounding of the C-141 and as far as i can tell chatting with guys at Mildenhall they know why it happened but, obviously, they can enlighten me any more.

Regards.

[Semaphore Sam]

I.M.: thanks for the info on the grounding; USAF strangly close-mouthed as to what occurred. Wing 'collapse'?
General: and the fleet cleared for normal ops? WTF? I loved that aircraft, but how can an aircraft be cleared so quickly for ops, unless a one-off problem existed? Surely they checked the fleet of 99 to ascertain safety of the airframe? After 37 years of rough flying, they'd better be damned sure! But, what an airplane; Lockheed RULES!

[Roc]

Heres the answer to all your questions, The C-141 in question had just come out of "fuel cell" maintenance. Unfortunately the maintenance personel failed to unplug the fuel vent system. As the jet was readied for its flight, and filled with fuel, the plugged vents caused an excessive pressure build-up which in turn vented itself by ripping through the wing skins, causing the wing to collapse. The "mighty Lifter" is indeed flying, just landed 2 hours ago...A great aircraft, but definately showing her age!!!

[Megaton]

In a similar vein, has anyone seen the picture of the exlpoding USAF KC-135? The technician was conducting pressure vessel checks on the aircraft using a homemade pressure measuring device and didn't notice that the needle had already completed one full rotation. Since the dial didn't possess an endstop he rather under-read the internal pressure and blew the aircraft up. Not good for career propsects, I would imagine.

[MajorMadMax]

Why of course I have, Ham, I believe I was the one that sent them to you (or were you the one that sent them to me??) <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

Same holds true for the B-1 ground refueling when they didn't properly distribute the fuel. Tipped over on its bum, it did! <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

Cheers!

[Check 6]

A similar event happened circa 1986 at Mather AFB in California on a B-52. During refueling, a wing departed the airframe.

Investigation revealed that a required wing inspection did not take place, but the AF Sergeant charged with doing the inspection signed it off, but did not complete the required inspecting. He went to prison.

The B-52 was to depart after the refueling.

[Man-on-the-fence]

And who can ever forget the VC-10 sent nose high at Branson Norton (sounds good!!) a few years ago.

Always expect the unexpected.

[Bright-Ling]

To see a pic go to <a href="http://www.airliners.net" target="_blank">www.airliners.net</a> and click on most popular pics of last seven days

It is the first thumbnail

B-L

[ 31 December 2001: Message edited by: Bright-Ling ]</p>

[I. M. Esperto]

C-141S BACK IN THE SKY
The U.S. Air Force's C-141 Starlifters are back in the air today after
spending part of last week on the ground. The big birds were told to
stand down after the left wing of a C-141 bound for Ramstein Air Force
Base in Germany collapsed while refueling at the Memphis International
Airport. Military officials ordered the fleet grounded and a team of
engineers from the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia
examined the plane. The problem that caused the damage was found to be
unique to it alone -- too many outside loops (sorry, kidding). "They
will continue to go through in greater detail to find out what happened
with the airplane," Air Mobility Command spokesman Lt. Col. Brad Peck
told the Associated Press.

NOTE: To see the big bird's broken wing, visit AVweb's NewsWire
&lt;http://avweb.com/n/?01a&gt;.

[Jackonicko]

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=209303

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=209303&WxsIERv=TG9ja2hlZWQgQy0xNDE%3D&WdsYXMg=VVNBIC0gQWlyIEZvcmNlIFROIEFORw%3D%3D&QtODMg=TWVtcGhpcyBJbnRlcm5hdGlvbmFsIChNRU0p&ERDLTkt=VVNBIC0gVGVubmVzc2Vl&ktODMp=RGVjZW1iZXIgMjIsIDIwMDE%3D&WNEb25u=TWFyayBiYWtlcg% 3D%3D&xsIERvdWdsY=&MgTUQtODMgKE=UnVtb3IgaGFzIGl0IExhbmRlZCB3aXRoIGxlZnQgc3RydXQ gZmxhdCBjYXVzaW5nIHVuc2VlbiB3aW5nIHJvb3QgZGFtYWdlLiBBIGhlYXZ 5IGZ1ZWwgbG9hZCBzaG9ydGx5IGFmdGVyIHBhcmtpbmcgd2FzIHRoZSBwZXJ 2ZXJiaWFsIHN0cmF3IHRoYXQgYnJva2UgY2FtZWxzIGJhY2suIE5ld3Mg cmVwb3J0ZWQgZnVlbCB0cnVjayBvcGVyYXRvciB3YXMgaW5qdXJlZCB3aGVu IHdpbmcgZmVsbCBvbiBoaXMgdHJ1Y2suIEV4YWN0IGNhdXNlIHN0aWxsIHVu ZGVyIGludmVzdGlnYXRpb24sIGFzIG9mIDI0IERFQyBhbGwgVVNBRiBDLTE0 MXMgaGF2ZSBiZWVuIGdyb3VuZGVkLg%3D%3D&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=Mzg4Ng%3D%3D&NEb25uZWx s=MjAwMS0xMi0yOA%3D%3D&static=yes

[Bright-Ling]

Jackonicko....

...it did that when I tried!!

Which is why I used the manual link!

(To others - You can still cut and paste the address and it works fine though)

[FJJP]

Jacko - ref ur last - WOW!

[ShyTorque]

JackoNicko,

Thanks very much for your post. I am just trying to memorise that last line which I am finding a little tricky; but it has been hours of fun for me.

I loved the little picture of the first aid box the best though! :)

[lamer]

slightly shorter link :

<a href="http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=209303" target="_blank">ouch</a>

[jonno]

In the same vein of problems with fuel tank air pressure building up to high during refuelling - the Lockheed Orion P3 aircraft was modified during the mid 80's to correct the outboard wing tanks 'bulging', and breaking the internal bracing components, because of being able to accept fuel in these tanks faster than the air could escape them.
For anybody operating these aircraft, you can tell if the mod has been incorporated by seeing that the outboard wingtip vents for the air, are now twice as large as the inboard ones!

[PaperTiger]

Series of four photos on today's AeroNews <a href="http://www.aero-news.net/" target="_blank">http://www.aero-news.net/</a> - about halfway down the page.