Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Latest Breaking News

AverageOldGuy

(3,750 posts)

5. Mid-air collision

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Mar 13, 2026, 11:16 AM

Friday

Earlier reports say two tankers were operating together, one returned “safely” and landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel the second crashed killing six-person crew. The delay in confirming was (1) find the crash site then (2) dig out charred remains. Remember, these things carry 30,000 gallons of jet fuel.

Somewhere on the net I saw photos of the second aircraft with about half of its vertical stabilizer missing —- that’s the big piece sticking up from the tail, which contains the rudder. Good bit of flying by the pilot to go from over Iraq to Israel with little or no rudder.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

bleedingulcers NH Ethylene Bluetus

25 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

All 6 U.S. crew members killed after refueling plane crashes in Iraq [View all] BumRushDaShow Friday OP

We'll never know the truth, this Administration is incapable of being truthful. dem4decades Friday #1

killed to protect a pedophile Blues Heron Friday #2

Yep. ck4829 3 hrs ago #25

In the UK, Historian Mark Felton found parts of WWII still classified bucolic_frolic Friday #3

When I was writing my melm00se Friday #16

Maybe if genius MF47 had some bases in Afghanistan this wouldn't have happened Ponietz Friday #4

Mid-air collision AverageOldGuy Friday #5

I speculated on that in another thread: InstantGratification Friday #6

It is almost 100% certain that the collision was with another plane involved in the refueling operation Bluetus Friday #11

Correct, tankers are not normally that close InstantGratification Friday #18

A question about the tanker-on-tanker scenario Bluetus Saturday #22

I could give you wild speculation, not much else InstantGratification Yesterday #23

It's amazing that the other plane survived. I saw the supposed image of the other plane and it looked pretty good! LeftInTX Friday #8

The number is now 13. Baitball Blogger Friday #7

14 wnylib Friday #10

7 from the first strike in Kuwait and this 6. Baitball Blogger Friday #12

Yes, you missed one, but you are not alone on that. wnylib Friday #13

They did underreport it. Baitball Blogger Friday #14

Everything Trump touches. Initech Friday #9

my granddaughter called her mother sobbing... agingdem Friday #15

There was no way they would have survived RetiredParatrooper Friday #17

A lot of people don't realize in every air war more planes have been lost to accidents than combat JohnnyRingo Friday #19

Sounds like exhausted -pilot error Warpy Friday #20

There are no parachutes on a KC-135 so the plane... S/V Loner Friday #21

... ck4829 3 hrs ago #24