C-130 Mishap Photos

Tail section of LC-130F #148321 seen here in November 1987 buried in the snow since its crash in 1971. In January 1987 the plane's owner. the National Science Foundation, which uses the Hercules to transport researchers and their equipment, dug the plane out and determined that it would be less expensive to repair it than to buy a new one. The rebuilt aircraft was flown from the crash site a year later. [DoD Paul J. Spiotta]

Front view of an LC-130F #148321 in November of 1987 is buried in the snow since its crash in 1971, with engine nacelles empty. All four engines were replaced, and the plane was flown from the crash site a year later. [DoD Paul J. Spiotta]

USN LC-130F 148321 seen here almost completely covered in snow/ice with just the tip of the tail showing. After unloading a French traverse team on December 4 1971, the pilot made a JATO take-off to return to McMurdo 750 nautical miles away. At an altitude of about 50 feet, two JATO bottles separated from the left-hand side of the fuselage and struck the inboard engine and propeller. With the gearbox and propeller torn off and the outboard propeller damaged by flying debris, the aircraft was seriously damaged on impact. The ten man crew were uninjured but had to live in survival shelters for 80 hours until the weather improve enough to allow a rescue plane to land. Recovered after being buried by snow for 17 years in Antarctica. [photo courtesy of VXE-6 website from "United States Aircraft Losses in Antarctica"]

USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice during landing. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown.[Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice during landing. Shown here is the damage to the belly and main gear ski. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown.[Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice. Shown here is the damage to the stabilizer. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown.[Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

Debris and nose ski from USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice during landing. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown.[Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice during landing. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown. Here you can see the aircraft is in the midst of repair and the front has been jacked and placed on blocks in preparation of receiving a new nose gear/ski. [Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

USN LC-130F 148320 which was damaged when the front of the nose ski was low and impacted the ice during landing. Shown here is the damage to the stabilizer. Fortunately no injuries and the aircraft was repaired. Exact date of mishap unknown (1992 to 1993) and date recovered unknown.[Photo by Joe Hawkins via vaq34.com]

USN LC-130R-2 160740 seen here sunk into a crevasse on an unknown date. Please help provide a date of mishap and a date aircraft was recovered. Aircraft was later converted to LC-130H and operated by the New York ANG serial 76-0491. [USN photo]

USN LC-130R-2 160740 seen here wrecked after a mishap on an unknown date. Please help provide a date of mishap and a date aircraft was recovered. Aircraft was later converted to LC-130H and operated by the New York ANG serial 76-0491. [USN photo]

USN LC-130R-2 160740 seen wrecked after a mishap on an unknown date. Please help provide a date of mishap and a date aircraft was recovered. Aircraft was later converted to LC-130H and operated by the New York ANG serial 76-0491. [USN photo]

USN LC-130R-2 160740 seen here being pulled out of a crevasse that it sunk into on an unknown date. Please help provide a date of mishap and a date aircraft was recovered. Aircraft was later converted to LC-130H and operated by the New York ANG serial 76-0491. [USN photo]

This photo is from a ground mishap of LC-130 148319 and happened during take off from an open camp during DF 94 on New Years Eve. No one was injured, and the crew and passengers were back in McMurdo before the night was over. [photo from the VXE-6 de-com CD, courtesy of VXE-6 website]

This photo is from a ground mishap of LC-130 148319 and happened during take off from an open camp on December 31, 1994. Fortunately no one was injured, and the crew and passengers were back in McMurdo before the night was over. [photo from the VXE-6 de-com CD, courtesy of VXE-6 website]