The C-5M Super Galaxy nose gear is said to have malfunctioned during the training flight
A C-5M assigned to the 433rd Airlift Wing landed with its nose gear up at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland on Mar. 15.
According to News4Sanantonio, the aircraft was returning to base from on a local training mission.
The nose gear is said to have malfunctioned during the training flight, with eleven people on board.
There were no injuries reported.
The incident is under investigation.
For decades, the C-5 has been a pivotal air mobility asset, responsible for the rapid deployment of combat forces to any point in the world at short notice. Since its introduction, the aircraft has seen extensive use in every major global contingency since the Southeast Asia War.
In fact, the C-5’s range and cargo capacity greatly exceeded the capabilities of earlier USAF airlifters. The massive cargo hold measured 120 feet long, nearly 20 feet wide, and 13 feet tall.
In a standard configuration, it can carry 36 pallets of equipment and 81 troops. The C-5 is also used to transport special oversize loads and can accommodate two Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles or a variety of heavy combat equipment, including two M1 Abrams main battle tanks or three CH-47 Chinook helicopters.
Specially designed for heavy airlift, the C-5’s large front and rear cargo doors reduce cargo transfer times by allowing ground crews to load and off-load the aircraft simultaneously. An innovative “kneeling” landing gear system facilitates vehicle loading and eliminates the need for special lift equipment. The C-5’s “high flotation” landing gear permits the aircraft to operate from smaller, unsurfaced airfields despite its great size and weight, allowing for forwarding delivery of troops and equipment.
Based on a study showing 80 percent of the C-5 airframe service life remaining, Air Mobility Command (AMC) began an aggressive program to modernize its fleet C-5A/B/Cs in 1998.
The updated version of the Galaxy is called C-5M Super Galaxy.
Click here to watch the video of the C-5M emergency landing.
Photo from video screenshot
