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| Date: | Wednesday 29 August 1990 |
| Time: | 12:33 |
| Type: |  Lockheed C-5A Galaxy |
| Owner/operator: | United States Air Force - USAF |
| Registration: | 68-0228 |
| MSN: | 500-0031 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1971 |
| Engine model: | General Electric TF39 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 13 / Occupants: 17 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed, written off |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ramstein AFB (RMS) -
 Germany
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Ramstein AFB (RMS/ETAR) |
| Frankfurt-Rhein-Main AFB (FRF/EDAF) |
The C-5 Galaxy was en route to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, carrying medical supplies, food and aircraft maintenance equipment for U.S. troops sent to Saudi Arabia following the Aug. 2 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. An intermediate stop was planned at Frankfurt-Rhein-Main AFB (FRF), Germany to have a fuel leak repaired.
Immediately after lifting off the runway at Ramstein (RMS), the airplane stopped accelerating at a speed of 161 kts. It stopped climbing at 50-100 feet and the crew members experienced severe buffeting of the airplane. The left wing dropped and contacted a large pine tree, ripping off the no. 1 engine. The C-5 rolled left and crashed. Investigators concluded that the there had been an uncommanded and inadvertent deployment of the no. 1 engine thrust reverser during takeoff.
Sources:
Mike Miller (E-mail, 19-2-2012)
Aviation Week & Space Technology 17 Dec. 1990
Location
Images:
photo (c) United States Air Force; Ramstein AFB (RMS); 29 August 1990; (publicdomain)
Revision history:
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