C130 / C27J, manoeuvring, near Mackall AAF NC USA, 2014

C130 / C27J, manoeuvring, near Mackall AAF NC USA, 2014

Summary

On 1 December 2014, a night mid-air collision occurred in uncontrolled airspace between a Lockheed C130H Hercules and an Alenia C27J Spartan conducting VFR training flights and on almost reciprocal tracks at the same indicated altitude after neither crew had detected the proximity risk. Substantial damage was caused but both aircraft were successfully recovered and there were no injuries. The Investigation attributed the collision to a lack of visual scan by both crews, over reliance on TCAS and complacency despite the inherent risk associated with night, low-level, VFR operations using the Night Vision Goggles worn by both crews.

Description

On 1 December 2014 a USAF C-130H Hercules (T/N 88-4404) operating as PAKR32 and a US Army C-27J Spartan (T/N 10-27030) operating as GECKO33 had both departed Pope AAF on VFR training missions. The C27 had just taken off from an intermediate stop at Laurinburg-Maxton Airport. Approximately 8 miles south of Mackall AAF, they collided in Class ‘G’ airspace in night VMC. Both aircraft declared emergencies and recovered to Pope AAF and Mackall AAF respectively. There were no injuries to the total of thirteen crew members on board the aircraft but there was extensive damage to both aircraft.

Investigation

An Investigation was carried out by a USAF Accident Investigation Board (AIB). Both aircraft DFDRs were downloaded and radar recordings of the flight paths of the two aircraft were available. It was noted that at the time of the collision all 6 pilots on the two flight decks were wearing NVGs.

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