Can we talk about this C-130 crash?

[colmbo]

4. Why was the explosion so big? Has anyone ever seen an explosion this large from a plane, 5-10 seconds after it crashes?

Yes.  A-C17 crash just after takeoff (the one at Elmendorf AFB).  A Piper Cub that spun in just after take off.

What's with the "5-10 seconds after it crashes"?   When do you think it's going to burn?  The next day?  Silly statement.  The fire happens because of spilled fuel coming in contact with hot components or other ignition sources at the time of the crash. 

 
FYI any crash with a large amount of jet fuel is going to have a big fire with lots of dense black smoke.

[Vulcan]

This reminds me of one time watching that UFO Hunters rubbish. Someone was complaining about the hovering lights taking off and landing at a nearby airport (yes they were in line with the landing approach). The whole episode was based on videos of what were clearly aircraft on landing approach stacks. But ohhhhhhhhhhh no... they went full derp on it being a secret US military UFO thing.

[Tec]

FYI any crash with a large amount of jet fuel is going to have a big fire with lots of dense black smoke.

Case in point the 747 Bagram crash on takeoff due to a load shifting.  Take notice of how the fireball behaves as it takes a bit for the heat to start driving it up. It's not an instantaneous geyser of fire to the heavens which when coupled with a hill blocking your view could take some time to become visible.

[Zimme83]

BTW: Pretty much all vids showed on the news are edited, there are only a limited amount of time in a news show so they have to cut the vids..
The plane crashed over a populated area in daylight, and there are still no reports of anything hitting or falling off the plane before the crash, why? (rhetoric question)

[DmonSlyr]

I appreciate yalls comments and analysis. I'm still suspicious about how it stalled and crash and what the black object is. Its just off to me that it also dissapears over the hill, in the same exact spot, moving fast, explosion after the fact. The fire could be reasonable given the gas. We can put it to rest and see what the official report says. I just wanted to question the events and film manipulation and to see what y'all thoughts were given your experiences with airplanes.

[Tec]

what the black object is. Its just off to me that it also dissapears over the hill, in the same exact spot

But it doesn't disappear over the hill.  Please don't make me do more screen shots.  Full speed, full resolution, .25 speed.  When it comes into frame hit pause then quickly double click the play button to move it forward just a tiny bit at a time and look closely.  It's clearly flapping its wings.  You can see it silhouetted against the light brown building, then the white box truck, then the ground as it curves in front of the red semi.  It lands about 30 yards in front of the camera.

[Vraciu]

Case in point the 747 Bagram crash on takeoff due to a load shifting.  Take notice of how the fireball behaves as it takes a bit for the heat to start driving it up. It's not an instantaneous geyser of fire to the heavens which when coupled with a hill blocking your view could take some time to become visible.

That crash still gives me nightmares. 

[Puma44]

Puma44 - interesting about the Phantom engines, Mark Berent also wrote in his books about the smoke F4 engines put out in Vietnam while he/his characters flew then, and after he met the Russian ambassador while he was doing similar work, said that the Russians thought the US was crazy for putting a fighter in the air which smoked so much.  This is all 2nd hand -3rd hand? -from his interviews and writing, and only a single source, but I've always wondered how much of a problem that F4 engine smoke really was especially in combat zones, and when/what the USAF/USN/ETC did about it?  My question is what year did the F4 start getting the smokeless (less smoke?) engines?  Sorry to drag this O/T, but since others are asking stuff... (interesting info Vraciu, going to read that book myself now).

I’m guessing the 85-86 time frame.  I was at Moody 84-87 and it was a year or so after I got there to the best of my memory.  The smoker engines made it VERY easy to find a Phantom in almost any circumstance.

Going into AB would eliminate the smoke.  It was common to select min AB at the beginning of an engagement to deny the opponent that early visual cue.  Once VID was made the smoke trail was less of an issue as we entered the phone booth for a knife fight.

[colmbo]

That crash still gives me nightmares.

Yeah.

[colmbo]

The smoker engines made it VERY easy to find a Phantom in almost any circumstance.

I don't care.  The Phantom is the most awesome jet that's ever flown and you SOBs that flew are the most awesomely lucky!

[colmbo]

CTake notice of how the fireball behaves as it takes a bit for the heat to start driving it up.

A big fuel fire is almost like a living being. As it heats up it pulls in more air which intensifies the fire which pulls more air in....

Kind of awesome to be standing on the edge of the fire pit with 1000 gallons of fuel burning especially if you and your buddy are going to step into the put each with a 1 inch line putting out plain water to fight the fire.

[Puma44]

I don't care.  The Phantom is the most awesome jet that's ever flown and you SOBs that flew are the most awesomely lucky!

Expelling smoke and cinders into an opponent’s eyes was a favorite tactic.   

Inspired by a Rhino four ship buzz job one day while walking to school in first grade, I was very fortunate to fly it a short 26 years later.  The beast always turned heads when it showed up on initial. An indescribable experience strapping it on.

[hyzer]

Back in the day,  , our barracks was located 1/4 mile from the runways at Ft Campbell Ky.  Lots of traffic in and out.  There was never any doubt when a Phantom showed up, that howl it made turning in to final was unmistakable. 

[colmbo]

Inspired by a Rhino four ship buzz job one day while walking to school in first grade, I was very fortunate to fly it a short 26 years later.

Any chance you were stationed at Elmendorf AFB in the early 70s?  I'm still looking for the Phantom guy that blew my hootch down with a low pass near Fort Yukon.

[Vraciu]

Any chance you were stationed at Elmendorf AFB in the early 70s?  I'm still looking for the Phantom guy that blew my hootch down with a low pass near Fort Yukon.