1991 Gulf War Boeing KC-135 accident

1991 Gulf War Boeing KC-135 accident
The damage to the aircraft
Accident
Date6 February 1991 (1991-02-06)
SummaryDual engine separation due to wake turbulence; subsequent emergency landing
Site
Aircraft

58-0013, the aircraft involved in the accident, seen in 2004 with a newer livery
Aircraft typeBoeing KC-135E Stratotanker
OperatorUnited States Air Force
Call signWHALE 05
Registration58-0013
Flight originPrince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
DestinationPrince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Occupants4
Crew4
Fatalities0
Survivors4

On 6 February 1991, a Boeing KC-135 of the United States Air Force (USAF) operated by the 190th Air Refueling Wing took off from Prince Abdullah Air Base, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, en route to a Gulf War refueling mission. The aircraft carried a crew of four. While in-flight, the aircraft lost engines one and two, both left-wing engines, while flying over the Saudi Arabian desert. To counteract the plane's descent, the pilots began dumping fuel. During the landing in Jeddah, due to the damage of the engine's hydraulic system, most of the descent was performed without autopilot. The aircraft landed safely at Jeddah.