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.