KC-46A tanker at Pease investigated after malfunction, safe landing
PORTSMOUTH — A safety investigation is underway after a KC-46A tanker from Pease Air National Guard Base experienced a malfunction Monday night following a refueling mission. The crew was forced to call for an in-flight emergency during its return trip,, according to the guard.
The aircraft, one of 12 Pegasus tankers that make up the fleet used by the 157th Air Refueling Wing, safely landed in Portsmouth at 7:12 p.m. Monday after one of its refueling systems malfunctioned, according to Air National Guard Technical Sgt. Victoria Nelson. The refueling jets are modeled off the Boeing 767 commercial airliner.
“There was no impact to local or commercial aviation at Portsmouth International Airport, and the runway was reopened to air traffic at 8:13 p.m.,” Nelson said.
According to New Hampshire Air National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Greg Heilshorn, the tanker had just successfully completed an air refueling mission over the Atlantic Ocean when one of its refueling systems malfunctioned. No fuel leakage occurred and there was no environmental impact, he said.
“After consulting multiple resources and unable to correct the malfunction, the crew elected to declare an inflight emergency and return to Pease (Air National Guard Base),” Heilshorn said. “Currently, a preliminary safety investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the malfunction.”
No one in the crew was injured, he said.
“In addition to the crew, the on-scene fire command responded to the incident and deemed the situation safe,” Heilshorn said.
The tanker was participating in a routine training mission that typically takes between four to six hours to complete, he added. The investigation is being led by the 157th Air Refueling Wing's safety office, Nelson noted.
“U.S. Air Force safety investigations are conducted to determine why an event occurred and to prevent recurrence,” Heilshorn said in a statement. “These investigations include a detailed analysis of the history and all aspects of the aircraft and aircrew involved in the events leading up to and during a mishap by safety trained individuals and subject matter experts. A final report is created that makes recommendations to accountable parties to prevent similar mishaps from occurring again in the future. The goal of the Wing Safety office in the U.S. Air Force is to prevent both damage to equipment and injuries to personnel to ensure we can accomplish our mission when called upon.”
The Pegasus tankers at Pease can hold a maximum of 212,000 pounds of fuel.
In August 2022, a KC-46A tanker carrying New Hampshire congressional delegation staff members was forced to divert to Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst after its refueling boom hoist cable was extended mid-flight.
The 157th Air Refueling Wing Pease Air National Guard Base was the first unit in the nation to have its full fleet of KC-46A tankers, which were designed to replace the Eisenhower-era KC-135 military tankers. In February 2021, the last of the wing's dozen tankers arrived at Pease.