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Re(1): C-141 STARLIFTER INCIDENT .... IP: 106.69.204.180 Posted on 5/1/2025 at 11:30:31 AM by Rod T
G’Day Blue......I remember it well. In 486 Radio Section we had a UHF Radio set up for test purposes plus we also monitoring the Control Tower so heard it all unfolding. We all ran out of Hanger 523 to watch what was going to happen and saw one of our Herc’s helping the Starlifter back to the Airfield as the Starlifter Crew could not see where the airfield was due to the flight deck filling with smoke. It was a pretty impressive landing and I believe the Pilot in Charge was a C-141 instructor Stateside. The Crew evacuated very quickly and fortunately all were OK as far as I am aware. As there was no Engine Power to assist breaking on landing the disk brakes welded shut and when we towed the Starlifter off of the Runway, we left some impressive rubber skid marks on the Runway. The Starlifter was patched up in one of the 2AD hangers before being returned to the US. I believe, (and I could be mistaken as my wife tells me I often am), that this Starlifter was then repaired and modified into the first ‘stretched’ C-141. I was in the group who picked up the remains of the exploded engine from the Richmond Streets at the western end of the Runway. I would say one of the luckiest people on that day was not in the Starlifter but a Lady who was putting her washing on the clothes line. When she finished, she walked back to her laundry but before she got there part of the engine cowling crushed her clothes line......it took six of us to lift it into the back of a RAAF truck.