Brand New AC-130 Ghostrider A Total Loss After Going Inverted While Out Of ControlOne of the Air Force Special Operations Command’s brand-spanking-new AC-130J Ghostrider Gunships has to be scrapped due to a test flight that went horribly awry. Luckily nobody was harmed but the $115 million dollar highly-modified Super Hercules will never fly again.
The incident in question happened during a “medium-risk flying qualities” test set, part of the new AC-130J testing process. Flightglobal.com reports:
While being operated at roughly 15,000ft, “the aircraft exceeded the targeted angle of sideslip until it departed controlled flight,” the report states. It “momentarily inverted, before being recovered after losing approximately 5,000ft of altitude.” The aircraft’s crew – who escaped injury – returned to base and landed safely, but the Ghostrider was rendered a total loss, having exceeded its operating g limits and design load.
Investigators have attributed the incident to the pilot’s “excessive rudder input during the test point, followed by inadequate rudder input to initiate a timely recovery from high angle of sideslip due to over-controlled/under-controlled aircraft,” along with the “wrong choice of action during an operation.”
The report also adds that additional attributing factors included spacial disorientation (vertigo), confusion, instrument and warning systems issues, and poor procedural guidance and publications for the test team to follow.
As tough as the C130 is constructed I'm a bit surprised it can't handle being inverted. Maybe the fact it survived the roll is a testament to it's toughness. Great bird.