Engine failure was likely a factor in deadly C-2 plane crash, Navy sources say
However, it is impossible for both engines of the plane to fail at the same time.
Powered by twin Allison T56-A-425 turboprop engines and Hamilton-Sundstrand constant speed propellers, the C-2A Greyhound can transport cargo between ship and shore in a matter of hours
A U.S. Navy C-2 Greyhound transport plane suffered an engine failure shortly before it was to land on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, two Navy officials told the Washington Examiner Monday.
The C-2 crashed into the Philippine Sea Nov. 22 while carrying 11 crew and passengers who were taking part in an annual exercise with Japanese maritime forces.
The engine malfunction was a factor in the crash, the officials said, while cautioning it’s too early to say that it was the proximate cause of the accident.
“The investigation will determine the cause,” one official said, noting that among the facts still in question are the precise distance the prop plane was from the carrier when it went down, and whether it had actually begun its approach to the ship.
Eight people, including some Japanese troops, were plucked from the water by helicopters belonging to the Reagan Carrier Strike Group less than 45 minutes after the crash.
The quick rescue response indicates plane, known as a COD for Carrier Onboard Delivery, was probably in sight of the carrier when it crashed.
An engine failure during landing, when the plane is going slow with its flaps down, would make it particularly difficult for a pilot to recover the aircraft, Navy officials say.
All the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is still underway, cautioned against speculating about to the cause before all the facts are gathered, and witnesses interviewed.
Three sailors died in the crash: Lt. Steven Combs, who was identified by Navy officials as one of the two pilots, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate Airman Matthew Chialastri and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.
Combs sister, speaking to reporters on Sunday, said her brother was a hero who put the crippled plane down in the ocean "Sully" Sullenberger-style that allowed most of the passengers to survive.
"That aircraft is not meant to do a water landing and he was able to land it in a way that let people get back to their family," Combs said through tears on Sunday, reported The Berkshire Eagle.
Combs said the grief felt by the family was “tremendous,” but said, “It does help a little bit, that even in his last moment he was looking out for others. I wouldn't have expected anything less."
“Steve flew the hell out of that plane,” said Navy spokesman Cmdr. Ronald Flanders. “Lt. Combs' airmanship was nothing short of heroic, and was instrumental in savings the lives of the eight survivors."
C-2A Greyhound logistics aircraft |
| Description The C-2A Greyhound is a high wing, twin-engine Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft. |
| Features Powered by twin Allison T56-A-425 turboprop engines and Hamilton-Sundstrand constant speed propellers, the C-2A Greyhound can transport cargo between ship and shore in a matter of hours. As a derivative of the E-2 Hawkeye, the C-2 has a common wing with the Hawkeye but has a widened fuselage and a rear loading ramp. The interior arrangement of the cabin can accommodate priority cargo like jet engines, passengers, litter patients and critical spare parts. A cargo cage system provides restraint for loads during ship launches and landings. Straight-in rear cargo loading and unloading allows for fast turnaround on the ground or carrier flight-deck. The cargo ramp can be opened in flight, allowing for airdrops of supplies and personnel. An on-board Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) provides aircraft self-sufficiency at remote airfields. The C-2 fleet provides rapid airborne logistics capability to the carrier strike force across a full range of sea basing military operations. Avionics system improvements, an aircraft electrical rewire and structural enhancements provide the fleet with an economically viable C-2 platform for the duration of its service. |
| Background The C-2A Greyhound replaced the piston-engine powered C-1 Trader in the Carrier On-board Delivery role. The first of two prototypes flew in 1964 and production began the following year. The original C-2A aircraft were overhauled to extend their operational life in 1973. In 1984, a contract was awarded for 39 new C-2A aircraft to replace the earlier airframes. Dubbed the Reprocured C-2A due to the similarity to the original aircraft, the new C-2A includes substantial airframe and avionic systems improvements. All the older C-2As were phased out in 1987, and the last of the new models was delivered in 1990. During the period November 1985 to February 1987, VR-24, operating with seven Reprocured C-2As, demonstrated exceptional operational readiness while delivering two million pounds of cargo, two million pounds of mail and 14,000 passengers in support of the European and Mediterranean Theatre commands. The C-2A also provided support to the Carrier Strike Groups during Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom. |
| Point Of Contact Naval Air Systems Command PEO-T Public Affairs Officer 47123 Buse Road, Bldg 2272, Rm 454 Patuxent River, Md. 20670-1547 (301) 757-7178 |
| General Characteristics |
| Primary Function: Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft |
| Contractor: Grumman Corporation |
| Unit Cost: $38.96 million |
| Propulsion: Two Allison T56-A-425 turboprop engines; 4,600 shaft horsepower each |
| Length: 56 feet 10 inches (17.3 meters) |
| Height: 17 feet 2 inches (5.28 meters) |
| Wingspan: 80 feet 7 inches (24.56 meters) |
| Weight: Max. Gross, take-off: 57,500 lbs (26,082 kg) |
| Airspeed: Cruise - Approximately 260 knots true airspeed speed; Max - Approximately 343 knots |
| Ceiling: 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) |
| Range: 1,000 nautical miles (1150.77945 statute miles) |
| Crew: Four |
| Last Update: 13 April 2017 |
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U.S. Navy Transport Crashes En Route to Aircraft Carrier
The Greyhound transport plane was headed to the USS Ronald Reagan when it went down.
A U.S. Navy plane carrying passengers and cargo to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan crashed in the Philippine Sea this week, Pentagon officials stated. Rescuers recovered eight individuals from the crash and another three are missing. The rescued eight are described as in good condition and a search continues for the remaining three.
The aircraft, a C-2A Greyhound Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, took off Wednesday from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, to rendezvous with the USS Reagan at sea. According to USNI News, the aircraft was assigned to Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30, Detachment Five out of Atsugi, Japan.
The C-2A was carrying sailors to the ship along with cargo when it went down. The C-2A Greyhound is one of the oldest aircraft in the U.S. Navy. Designed to ferry people and goods between an aircraft carrier and land, it is unarmed and features a large cargo ramp in the rear of the aircraft to fit oversized cargo such as aircraft engines. The Greyhound carries up to 10,000 pounds of cargo, 26 passengers, or some combination thereof.
U.S. Navy personnel offload cargo from the rear of a C-2A Greyhound on the aircraft carrier USS Bush.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorelei Vander Griend
C-2As have a high availability rate and a high operational tempo during carrier deployments. According to manufacturer Northrop Grumman, “During a typical six-month peacetime aircraft carrier deployment, a two-aircraft C-2A detachment will accumulate approximately 1,000 flight hours, transport about 5,000 passengers and haul about one million pounds of cargo.” Despite the high number of miles the C-2A has a relatively low accident rate, with the last fatal accident in 1973. The Navy lost two other aircraft in separate accidents in 2003 and 2005.
The Navy has already decided on a replacement for the aging C-2A, the V-22 Osprey. The tiltrotor aircraft will replace the Greyhound starting in 2021, with the last of the older planes retired in 2026.