Date & Time:
Feb 20, 1989 at 2000 LT
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter
Operator:
Registration:
66-0150
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Norton - Peterson Field - Hurlburt Field
MSN:
6176
YOM:
1966
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
7
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
1
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
8
Aircraft flight hours:
29148
Circumstances:
The C-141B departed Norton AFB for a flight to Hurlburt Field with an intermediate stop at Peterson Field near Colorado Springs. The crew had to return back to Norton due to a leaking comfort pallet. At the end of the second leg, the crew were confronted with thunderstorms covering the approach path for the ILS approach to runway 36 at Hurlburt Field, the primary instrument runway. The crew requested the TACAN approach to runway 18, which was an approach over swampy terrain. The aircraft entered a high rate of descent, causing the GPWS to sound. The copilot reset two GPWS warnings and the descent was continued below the Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) of 345 feet agl. The airplane finally impacted terrain in a wings level, nose low attitude. All eight occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
