Incident Overview
Date: Wednesday 23 March 1994
Aircraft Type: Lockheed C-141B Starlifter
Owner/operator: United States Air Force – USAF
Registration Number: 66-0173
Location: Fayetteville-Pope AFB, NC (POB) –
ÿ United States of America
Phase of Flight: Standing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Component Affected: F-16D aircraft and Starlifter 66-0173 aircraft.F-16D aircraft and Starlifter 66-0173 aircraft.
Category: Other

A USAF F-16D entered the traffic pattern on finals for runway 23, colliding with a Starlifter 66-0173 parked on the ramp at Pope AFB. The collision resulted in a significant fire, damaging the Starlifter and impacting the C-130E Hercules. Approximately 500 personnel were affected, with 23 fatalities and 80 injuries.A USAF F-16D entered the traffic pattern on finals for runway 23, colliding with a Starlifter 66-0173 parked on the ramp at Pope AFB. The collision resulted in a significant fire, damaging the Starlifter and impacting the C-130E Hercules. Approximately 500 personnel were affected, with 23 fatalities and 80 injuries.
Description
Starlifter 66-0173 was parked on the ramp at Pope AFB. Army paratroops were boarding the plane for an exercise airdrop mission. At that moment a USAF F-16D (88-0171) entered the traffic pattern on finals for runway 23. The F-16 collided with a USAF Lockheed C-130E Hercules (68-10942) at an altitude of 300 feet. The C-130 continued and landed safely. Both F-16 pilots ejected, but the airplane crashed onto the taxiway. It skidded into the loading C-141, puncturing the fuel tanks in the right wing, causing a massive fire. Of approximately 500 troops in the vicinity of the accident, 23 were killed and over 80 were injured.
Primary Cause
Air Force F-16D collision with Starlifter 66-0173.Air Force F-16D collision with Starlifter 66-0173.Share on: