Incident Overview
Date: Sunday 20 March 1966
Aircraft Type: Lockheed C-130B Hercules
Owner/operator: United States Air Force – USAF
Registration Number: 61-2641
Location: 50 km NW of Bardufoss Airport (BDU) –
ÿ Norway
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 7 / Occupants: 7
Component Affected: C-130B aircraftC-130B aircraft
Category: Accident
On December 1st, 2023, a C-130B aircraft crashed in Svanfjellet, west of Bardufoss, Norway, during NATO exercise Winter Express. The aircraft, assigned to the 313th Troop Carrier Wing, was descending to 6000 feet when ATC issued a clearance to descend to 2650 feet. The crew repeated an incorrect height clearance, leading to a collision with the terrain. The crash resulted in the deaths of the entire crew of five officers and two enlisted men, all U.S. citizens.On December 1st, 2023, a C-130B aircraft crashed in Svanfjellet, west of Bardufoss, Norway, during NATO exercise Winter Express. The aircraft, assigned to the 313th Troop Carrier Wing, was descending to 6000 feet when ATC issued a clearance to descend to 2650 feet. The crew repeated an incorrect height clearance, leading to a collision with the terrain. The crash resulted in the deaths of the entire crew of five officers and two enlisted men, all U.S. citizens.
Description
The C-130B, assigned to the 313th Troop Carrier Wing, flew from Evereux to Bardufoss to pick up troops who would participate in the NATO exercise Winter Express. In snowy weather around freezing temperature with poor visibility the Hercules crashed into Svanfjellet west of Bardufoss at night at a height of 2650 feet on the island of Senja on approach to Bardufoss Air Station, Norway. According to the Accident Investigation Board at that time, the ATC had cleared the plane to descend to 6000 feet when the crew of the plane repeated an incorrect height clearance. The radar controller at Bardufoss did not perceive the misunderstanding. The crash killed the entire crew, five officers and two enlisted men. All were U.S. citizens.
Primary Cause
ATC issued a clearance to descend to 6000 feet, but the crew repeated an incorrect height clearance.ATC issued a clearance to descend to 6000 feet, but the crew repeated an incorrect height clearance.Share on:
