What REALLY Brought 2 Tankers Together? | KC-135 Mid-Air Collision

Video Description

Bose A20A KC-135 mid-air collision between two Stratotanker aircraft occurred over western Iraq during Operation Epic Fury. One tanker was destroyed with six crew members on board, while the other KC-135 somehow remained controllable despite losing a major portion of its vertical stabilizer and later landed safely. So how did two KC-135 tankers collide in the same airspace? In this aviation analysis video, we break down the KC-135 Stratotanker mid-air collision, examining the operational environment, tanker track procedures, and the possible aircraft geometry that may have brought these two large aerial refueling aircraft together. We also explore how the surviving tanker may have remained flyable after severe tail damage and why the structure and design of the KC-135 could allow an aircraft to maintain directional control even after losing a large portion of the vertical stabilizer. Topics covered in this KC-135 tanker accident analysis include: • What we currently know about the KC-135 mid-air collision over Iraq • The aircraft involved in the accident • How tanker refueling tracks work in aerial refueling operations • Possible collision geometry scenarios between two tanker aircraft • Why the surviving KC-135 was still controllable after tail damage • What investigators will likely analyze during the military accident investigation Military accident investigations take time, and a full report may take years to be released. However, understanding the operational context and aircraft characteristics can already provide insight into how complex aerial refueling tanker operations work. Our thoughts are with the six crew members who lost their lives in this accident. https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/567873 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/567874