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US Air Force C-17 crashes in Alaska

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PICTURES: US Air Force releases images of crashed C-17

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The US Air Force has released the first images showing the wreckage of a Boeing C-17 strategic transport which crashed at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska on 28 July. Four personnel from the service’s 3rd Wing died in the accident.

Powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117 turbofan engines, the aircraft came down in a wooded area inside the base perimeter, shortly after taking off on a local training mission. It was destroyed during the impact and a resulting fire.

The three images released by the air force identify the lost transport as aircraft 00173. This had been delivered to the USAF in 2001, as recorded in Flightglobal’s MiliCAS database.

The air force says a safety investigation board team had been assembled by 2 August, and has started its work to determine the factors behind the first loss of a C-17. “The investigation is ongoing and will continue for an undetermined amount of time,” it adds.

PICTURES: US Air Force releases images of crashed C-17
 
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this is C5 Galaxy not C17 Global
 
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A military cargo plane carrying four people on a training run has crashed at an air force base in Alaska, the US Air Force said today.

Witnesses reported seeing a ball of fire rising hundreds of feet high near downtown Anchorage. Access to the crash site at Elmendorf Air Force Base has been closed.

The C-17, from the 3rd Wing based at Elmendorf, had been carrying four people doing a training demonstration for an upcoming weekend air show, Lieutenant General Dana Atkins said.

Lt Gen Atkins said the plane was not an ejection aircraft, and said no one is expected to have survived. "It's likely there are fatalities involved in this mishap," he added.

Anchorage Fire Department Captain Bryan Grella described seeing the crash from a downtown fire station about two miles away.

"It was a big, grey plume of smoke, and I saw a fireball go up," he said, adding that the plume went about 750 feet in the air.

A board of officers will investigate the crash.

This was the third aircraft incident in Anchorage this summer. In June, one child was killed and four others burned when a small plane crashed after taking off from the city's small-plane airport.

Days later, a small plane landed on the busy Glenn Highway, the only highway leading north out of Anchorage. There were no injuries.

Governor Sean Parnell and Senator Mark Begich issued statements expressing sadness over the crash and sending well-wishes to members of the military.

"Alaskans are very connected to the military, and our thoughts and prayers are with Alaska's air force family," Mr Parnell said.



'No survivors' after military cargo plane crash - Americas, World - The Independent
 
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Four Die in Air Force C-17 Cargo Plane Crash at Elmendorf AFB in Alaska
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Four airmen were killed early Wednesday evening when a large military cargo plane crashed at Elmendorf Air Force base in Anchorage, officials said on early Thursday.

The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft went down at the end of the runway around 6.14 p.m. local time and was witnessed by many local residents. Large plumes of black smoke were initially seen rising from the scene.

Bob Hall, a spokesman for the base, said the Air Force cargo aircraft, which was carrying four Airmen, was assigned to the 3rd Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base. “At the time of the accident, it was on a local training mission,” he said.

Colonel John McMullen, 3rd Wing commander, confirmed there were no survivors in the accident. “Our deepest sympathy and sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of those Airmen killed in this crash,” he said.

“Yesterday, we lost four members of our Arctic Warrior family and it’s a loss felt across our entire joint installation. Right now our immediate focus is on providing all possible support to the loved ones of our fallen aviators,” McMullen added.

Alaska Governor Sean Parnell said he and his wife Sandy were saddened to learn of the plane crash. “Alaskans are very connected to the military and our thoughts and prayers are with Alaska’s Air Force Family,” he said.

U.S. Senator Mark Begich and former mayor of Anchorage Mark Begich said his thoughts and prayers were with the extended National Guard family. “The service members of our National Guard sacrifice daily to defend our nation and make our state safe,” he said.

Begich said every Alaskan is deeply saddened by Wednesday’s accident. “I urge all Alaskans to include these brave Guardsmen and their families in their prayers,” he added.

The names of the Airmen who died are being withheld pending notification of next of kin and McMullen said a board of officers will investigate the cause of the crash.

McMullen and Brigadier General Charles Foster, 176th Wing commander from the Alaska Air National Guard, will hold a news conference at 8 a.m. local time to provide more information about the accident.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a large four-engined jet which can be used to transport troops or cargo. Since it entered service with the US Air Force in 1993, the C-17 has had a mostly stellar safety record, with no fatal accidents reported. Five countries and NATO operate the aircraft, of which over 200 have been built.

BNO News contributed to this report.
 
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NCHORAGE, Alaska -- Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson officials said the investigation into last week's C-17 crash would be continuing Tuesday, but we're now able to take a look at the crash in a whole new perspective.

Channel 2 News has obtained pictures of the C-17 on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson taken shortly after the crash.

In the photos, you can see the wreckage still burning and how close the crash was to the railroad tracks that had to be repaired over the weekend.

Channel 2 received the photos from a source wishing to remain anonymous.

Photos show aftermath of C-17 crash - KTUU.com | Alaska's news and information source |
 
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