Coast Guard C-130 in Saint Paul Island, Alaska mishap being dismantled

7/28/06

Kodiak, Alaska

The Coast Guard C-130 that went off the runway in Saint Paul last month is being dismantled. It's still not known what caused the Hercules to sharply veer to the left after it touched down on June 28th on a supply run to Loran Station. But when it did, the right wing dipped, tearing off the wing tip and all four propeller blades on the outboard engine.

The plane came to rest in the soft ground, about 50 yards from the tarmac. There were no injuries to the nine crew members on board. After the plane was towed to the ramp, it was found to also have received extensive damage to the underside of the nose cone and fuselage.

Coast Guard spokesman Lieutenant J.G. Kevin Rapp says there are a half-dozen Coast Guardsmen and contract employees dismantling the plane right now. The vertical stabilizer and wings are going to be removed and be transported back to Kodiak along with the fuselage by barge. After that, the plane will be examined to see if it can be rebuilt.

The aircraft has just touched down on the runway at St. Paul Island with a 5,000 gallon fuel truck inside its cargo hold when it went slid off the runway.

The aircraft then fish tailed twice and the right wing dipped and made contact with the ground. Doing so caused the No.4 propeller to hit the ground and spin off the aircraft. The aircraft came to a full stop 165 feet left of the runway. All crew on board left the aircraft unharmed.