U.S. Marine Corps Aviators Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.12.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.13.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.14.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-05.15.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.16.25

Mon, Jun 27, 2022

U.S. Marine Corps Aviators Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross

Hercules’s Final Labor

Capt. Michael Wolff and Maj. Cory Jones of the U.S. Marine Corps were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross—the military’s penultimate award for aviator valor—after piloting their stricken C-130J to a survivable landing in a California cauliflower field subsequent an inflight collision with an F-35 Lightning II.

The September 2020 incident occurred during a refueling mission to support Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

The cause of the collision remains undetermined. What is known, is that during an attempt to tap a refueling line extended from an external fuel tank beneath the C-130’s starboard wing, the F-35B impacted the larger aircraft, destroying its number three and four engines.

By dint of good fortune, the grace of merciful gods, or dumb luck, the collision did not damage the C-130’s ailerons, elevators, or rudder.

“Anything that was loose in the cockpit went flying,” Wolff said during a post-incident interview. “It was pretty violent… I got my headset back on, grabbed the yoke and I got the plane back under control.”

The impact compromised the C-130’s fuselage, precipitating a rapid decompression and an emergency descent.

Black smoke trailed the Hercules earthward as its starboard fuel-tanks burned. “I can see the number-four engine from my seat, but I can’t see number-three,” Wolff recalled.

The crew in the aircraft’s rear compartment confirmed Wolff’s observation, and the flightcrew deployed engine fire-suppression.

Unbeknownst to the C-130 crew, the F-35B by which they’d been struck had since gone down in the desert. Its pilot—assigned to the “Green Knights” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121–ejected before impact and landed safely.

With fuel trailing, a possible wing fire, and obvious damage to the right main-gear, the crew prudently elected to land as soon as possible.

The C-130’s position and altitude favored Thermal / Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport—toward which Wolff and Jones proceeded. While on approach, however, an excursion below Vmc sent the aircraft into an un-commanded right turn—then into the cauliflower and California mud. 

Wolff estimates the airplane skidded three-to-four-hundred yards before stopping. “It wasn’t quite like the movies  … We came to a stop pretty quickly,” he said.

So ended the final flight of KC-130J, bureau number 166765. The collision, fire damage, and emergency landing rendered the once regal aircraft a collection of spare parts.

In the week following the incident, investigators and Marine Corps maintenance crews combed through the wreckage, collecting data and salvage after the fashion of their professions. Finally VMGR-352 personnel brought in a crane and …

The airplane’s aft-stabilizers were preserved, painted in the color of its squadron, and fashioned into a display of what was, and a sober reminder of what may have been had her crew not acquitted itself so admirably.

“We fly as a crew,” Wolff said. “I’m proud of how everyone handled themselves and kept calm.”

FMI: www.marines.mil

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.19.25): Fuel Remaining

Fuel Remaining A phrase used by either pilots or controllers when relating to the fuel remaining on board until actual fuel exhaustion. When transmitting such information in respon>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.19.25)

Aero Linx: Piper Aviation Museum Preserving the history and legacy of the Piper Aircraft Corporation and its founding family. In the past three years, the Piper Aviation Museum has>[...]

Klyde Morris (05.16.25)

Klyde Has No Patience... FMI: www.klydemorris.com>[...]

Airborne 05.19.25: Kolb v Tornados, Philippine Mars, Blackhawk Antler Theft

Also: Tentative AirVenture Airshow Lineup, Supersonic Flight Regs, Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide, Boeing Deal The sport aircraft business can be a tough one... especially when Moth>[...]

Airborne-Flight Training 05.15.25: Ray Scholarship, Alto NG, Fighter Training

Also: FedEx Pilots, Army Restructuring, Alaska ANG, Incentive for ATC Hiring EAA Chapter 534 in Leesburg, Florida announced that the 2025 Ray Aviation Scholarship winner is Abdiel >[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC