British Plane on Fire in Afghanistan..
 

Breaking news from Sky: http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0...222691,00.html

Probably a Herc, any other news?

LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - An aircraft was on fire at an airstrip in the southern Afghan province of Helmand on Wednesday, where British and other foreign troops operate, but the cause of the blaze was not known, a witness said.......

"I can see heavy smoke and fire rising from the plane and there were some explosions," said a Reuters reporter near the air strip in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand province. The reporter said he thought it was a foreign military aircraft. There was no word on casualties.

U.S. forces also operate in Helmand but a U.S. military spokesman said he had no information about any aircraft on fire in the province...

It is an RAF Hercules. No UK Casualties

BBC R4 report Ambassador to Afghanistan on board.

KABUL, Afghanistan - A British military C-130 cargo aircraft caught fire while landing at an airstrip in southern Afghanistan, but all aboard escaped unhurt, officials said.

One of the plane's tires burst when it hit the ground, sending debris into an engine, which then caught fire, said Sgt. Chris Miller, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition. He said the incident was not the result of militant fire.

Reports saying ac had an incident on landing.

Glad everyone is OK. I saw the smoke on TV, I guess the plane is a gonner.

Loadmaster and crew must have done a good job to get everyone off safely.

FOAM
 

Everyone is safe, so I would like to point out that today Chappie has launched a petition for every Herc to get foam protection. Please sign it. I pleaded with the authorities not to send Hercs to Afg without foam. This is the front page of a manufacturer of foam. We do not know why this Hercules is burning but the media are reporting a tyre burst causing FOD damage leading to fire. Please read below.

Safety Foam is a fully reticulated, flexible polyurethane foam composed of a skeletal matrix of tiny lightweight interconnecting strands. These act as a three dimensional fire screen. The material is a passive, self healing, explosion suppression system capable of withstanding multiple hits. Safety Foam Functions:
1 Fuel Tank Inerting
2 Slosh Attenuation (Baffling)
3 Dry Bay Explosion Suppression
4 Foreign Object Debris (FOD) Barrier
5 Electrostatic Suppression in Fuel Tanks

Oh, from the title I thought it was about woodworkers acting as missionaries abroad. What is a 'plane' anyway?:E

Seriously though, 'big up' to the crew!

Prob will not count as an Evacuation Drill for BTR's tho!!!!!

BBC News 24 now reporting that the Taliban have made a claim for the incident.

I hope they keep their reciepts. Wouldnt want them to get charged with financial irregularities when JPA decides to audit their 'claim'.

Oops, wrong thread! ;)

Hat, coat, door, etc.

-GW-

At least the long suffering taxpayers will know where to send the bill to. :sad:

To misquote Admiral Beatty, There seems to be something wrong with our bloody AT aircraft these days.

The MOD News caught up surprisingly quickly!
MOD News

So has the Peoples Popular Front For The Liberation Of Judea :}

Telegraph now saying ac destroyed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...ritsafghan.xml

Splitters!:} I heard it was the Popular Peoples Front!

Seriously though, thank goodness no casualties. I suspect that is why Mod web was so quick: to prevent family of any Herc crews from too much undue worry.

Bit of a close call! Thank the Good Lord that everyone got out ok - well done to those involved - 'shreddie changes' all round!? I bet the beer will taste good tonight!!!!:ok: :ok: :cool:

I'm sure everything will come out soon enough but a tyre-burst v engine damage theory seems 'a bit thin' to me as the tyres are well covered by fuselage/doors. Also, the tyres are well below and behind the 'business part' of the inboard engines - but the tyres are in line with the ext fuel tank (if a K). Lots of other possibilities, tho' - FOD v Aux Fuel tank, SA v Fuel tank/engine, uncontained Engine Fire etc. Any hares running yet?

However, it is also peculiar how the damage became so widespread, so quickly. Would foam have helped stop the spread of fire - maybe? dunno? I am sure the BOI will do a thorough job whatever.

Don't suppose there was any fire cover other than a donkey's water trough, half a mile away! That, however, is an operational risk everyone knows is impossible to get around. But I thought we carried an extra large chem-foam fire extinguisher for emergencies for strip-work? That might have helped? - tho' on the other hand, probably not!

Whatever the cause, that is one less Albert in the inventory - that means less training, less kit, less felxibility, more money req'd from MOD/Treasury to replace capability - bu@@er!

But on the other hand - 2 Gp must now be overborne with crews - so expect the redundancy letters from PMA soon!???:oh:

J or K by the way?

short K apparently. bu&&er!

Kandahar my backside, we are back to JANDAHAR!!!!!! again, thank christ we didnt loose anyone in this incident.

For quite a few years Nige....

this was not flown by your ex-muckers.

It was a MK1 "K" with those fancy DIRCM(sp?) thingies. Bu$$er indeed. Glad everyone got out ok.

Apparently the southern Afghan province of Helmand has now been evacuated……………… the smell of burning p1ss has become unbearable!! :E
Glad everybody is OK. :ok:

Aircraft is most certainly Cat 5 - almost completely destroyed by fire.

Nice to see Des Browne squirming uncomfortably on C4 news when asked about ESF.

Quite frankly it could have been something as simple as a minor brake fire which would have been a bit of a non-event anywhere else. Unfortunately the local fire service consists of 3 men and a pump carried on a donkey called Desmond.

Squirming? Lying his a$$ off is more like it. Bloody MP's...

LM

Got to admit, I'm with you here Flipster. Seems a bit unlikely, although not beyond the realms of possibility.

Am sure everyone familiar with Chinook crash knows that when C4 decide to do a story they stay with it. Damn sure they are running with ESF. Almost made it on tonight, pity. Desmond said foam would not have helped in this instance; he is a very brave man for saying that. Foam acts as a barrier to FOD, and God forbid if that ac was shot at, heads have to roll this time.

set 18, have cleared PM box.

Have we got any flying Ks left now?

reggie anyone?

Actually, I think you'll find that's 'Suleiman al Desmond Khan'.

Just who thought it was a good idea to part-ex Ks for Js whilst hoping (and its a big hope) that the A400M will hit the ground running as a useful bit of kit. - And from my experience in both those programs the hairbrush effort is so flawed it will make the J look faultless.

We are going to have a problem well before A400M hits the streets. This thing (Afg) has not even started yet. 3 yrs from now what state are we going to be in?

I was out in Kosovo when we totalled a MK1 off a strip. Please take care of the crew and pax in Afg. Fortunately my crew were not on shift that night in Kosovo. We looked after the other crew on their return (plied them with drink). Do not underestimate the effect of the shock. S**t happens fellas you did a great job getting everyone out of Albert in one piece.

well done to the crew on getting every one out. shame to loose a k model theres just something about them for me that makes em niceer than the J

Nige is spot on (as ever) - anyone out there - please take care of the crew. Just because they 'walked away' doesn't make it all 'tickedy boo'. Shock takes many forms and can creep up insidiously on the unsuspecting -even if they are 'rock hard'. That said, getting them 'back in the saddle' quickly must be a priority too!

Now, to those who are slightly more up to date than me - please tell me we have been carrying those foam fire extinguishers if landing on strips? If not, I bet you will next time! Imagine if the locals were not expecting you and your minister - or what if if the locals became 'unfriendly'!?

One supposes that the full might of the RAF's CSAR (Combat Survival and Rescue) Helos went immediately into action and picked up our brave troops under the cover of the supporting CAS, AWACs, AAR and fighter top-cover. Then again...........perhaps not!!!!

I would certainly be keen to hear the CSAR debrief!!!!

It was a major drama getting clearance for internal fire extinguisher on SF. Did it again in Afg (Main Sqn) 2002. I suspect conditions on the ground are particularly challenging on the strips in Afg. Like I say s**t happens. Wrote to HCDC ref concerns about force protection and CSAR. Got fobbed off by Govt Defence Ministers, funny old thing. The crew in Kosovo got picked up by an unlikely ally. Do not want to explain here. Still v angry about lack of foam. Do not appreciate Des Browne pre-empting AAIB result.

Serious point. Welfare of crew and pax highest priority at mo.

Maybe ex ALM chip in about fire cover.....

NG