The Air Force Materiel Command has publicly admitted to a mishap in which an Air Force test pilot crew got the ride of their life in April of this year. An AC-130J Ghostrider, an airplane weighing as much as 164,000 pounds, went inverted during a test flight and was severely damaged, a mistake that is costing taxpayers $115 million.
AC-130J Ghostrider Damaged in Flight Test
Key Takeaways:
- An Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider test aircraft was severely damaged and deemed a total loss, costing taxpayers $115 million, after momentarily going inverted during a test flight in April.
- The mishap occurred during a steady heading sideslip maneuver and was primarily caused by excessive rudder input followed by inadequate rudder input for recovery, leading to the crew losing control and exceeding the aircraft's design limits.
- Contributing factors included instrumentation and warning system issues, spatial disorientation, confusion, and inadequate procedural guidance for the test team.
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