Two Aircraft Damaged In September Crash At Manas Airport In
Kyrgyz Republic
The US Air Force's Air Mobility Command (AMC) today released the
results of its investigation into the September 26 KC-135R aircraft
accident at Manas International Airport, Bishkek, Kyrgyz
Republic.
On September 26, at approximately 8:03 p.m. local time, a
KC-135R tanker landed at Manas International Airport following a
combat mission over Afghanistan. After landing, the KC-135R was
parked at the intersection of the active runway and a taxiway while
the crew awaited clarification on instructions from the air traffic
control tower.
The tanker was struck by a departing Kyrgyz TU-154. The TU-154's
right wing struck the fairing of the KC-135R's number 1 engine
nearly severing it from aircraft and destroying a portion of its
left wing.
The TU-154 lost approximately six feet of its right wingtip, but
was able to get airborne and return to the airport for an emergency
landing with no additional damage to the aircraft.
AMC says the collision was clearly an accident and not the
result of any intentional conduct. The Accident Investigation Board
(AIB) convened by AMC determined the accident was caused by a
Kyrgyzaeronavigation air traffic controller who cleared the TU-154
for takeoff without verifying the tanker was clear of the
runway.
Besides the controller, the AIB identified several contributing
factors involving the tanker's crew, conflicting published airport
notices, and a contract tower liaison officer employed by the US
Government to facilitate communication between the tower and US
aircrews.
Although the AIB found the air traffic controller primarily at
fault, the tanker crew and tower liaison shared responsibility for
ensuring the tanker safely cleared the runway after landing. AMC
says the accident might have been avoided had the crew and liaison
exercised better awareness of the situation.
None of the aircrew or passengers onboard the TU-154 sustained
any injuries. One KC-135 crewmember sustained minor abrasions while
evacuating the aircraft.
The AIB determined the following factors also contributed to the
mishap:
- The Kyrgyz air traffic controller's instruction to vacate at
taxiway Golf after dark conflicted with a published Notice to
Airmen (NOTAM) that limited that taxiway's use to daylight hours.
The liaison did not clarify the apparent discrepancy
- After questioning the Kyrgyz controller's instruction to vacate
the runway at taxiway Golf, the liaison instructed the tanker crew
to hold short of Alpha. The mishap KC-135R crew misunderstood the
liaison's instructions and responded "holding short of Golf." The
liaison failed to catch the read-back error
- The Kyrgyz controller failed to maintain awareness of the
tanker's location
- The liaison failed to maintain situational awareness and
intervene when the controller's actions endangered the KC-135R and
its aircrew
The tanker and its crew is assigned to the 92nd Air Refueling
Wing, Fairchild AFB, WA. While deployed at Manas AB, they were
assigned to US Central Command's 376th Air Expeditionary Wing
flying missions supporting coalition aircraft over Afghanistan.