Editing Boeing RC-135 (section)

==Accidents and incidents==

*On 17 July 1967, a KC-135R Rivet Stand, ''59-1465'', crashed on takeoff from [[Offutt Air Force Base]], [[Nebraska]]. The aircraft commander over-rotated the aircraft, causing it to stall and crash just under a mile from the end of the runway on the edge of [[Papillion Creek]]. One of the five crew members aboard was killed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670717-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker 59-1465 Bellevue-Offutt AFB, NE (OFF)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2 February 2019|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203030635/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670717-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
*On 13 January 1969, USAF RC-135S, ''59-1491'', called "Rivet Ball", was returning from an operational reconnaissance mission, when it landed at Shemya Air Force Base, Alaska in a snowstorm. The aircraft slid off the ice-covered runway and plunged into a 40-foot ravine. Later "Ball" aircraft were equipped with thrust-reversers on their TF-33 turbofan engines, but this aircraft had J-57 turbojet engines without reverse thrust capability. All eighteen crew members successfully evacuated the aircraft. The aircraft was written off as damaged beyond repair, but many components specific to the reconnaissance mission were salvaged for later use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19690113-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing RC-135S Rivet Ball 59-1491 Shemya AFB, AK (SYA)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2 February 2019|archive-date=18 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518000041/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19690113-1|url-status=live}}</ref>
*On 5 June 1969, USAF RC-135E, ''62-4137'', called "Rivet Amber", departed Shemya Air Force Base, Alaska for a ferry flight to Eielson Air Force Base. Although the purpose of this ferry flight is sometimes described as routine maintenance, the aircraft had encountered severe turbulence on its previous operational mission and had been cleared for a one-time flight to be checked for possible structural damage at the main operating base. "Rivet Amber" was the heaviest 135 series aircraft ever built. It was a highly sophisticated aircraft with a radar that weighed over 35,000 pounds. Under each wing were specialized pods housing a heat-exchanger (right wing) and an additional electrical generator (left wing). During the flight, all contact with 62-4137 was lost and the wreckage of the aircraft was never found.<ref name="aviation-safety.net"/>
*On 15 March 1981, USAF RC-135S, ''61-2664'', called "Cobra Ball", crashed on final approach in bad weather to Shemya Air Force Base, Alaska on a flight from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. The aircraft commander never established a proper glide path or descent rate on final and impacted the ground short of the runway. Of the twenty-four occupants of the aircraft, six were killed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19810315-1|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing RC-135S Cobra Ball II 61-2664 Shemya AFB, AK (SYA)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2 February 2019|archive-date=18 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160518000107/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19810315-1|url-status=live}}</ref>
*On 25 February 1985, USAF RC-135T, ''55-3121'', operating out of Eielson AFB, Alaska, was flying practice approaches in very poor weather at the [[Valdez Airport|Valdez Municipal Airport]], Alaska. This one-time "Speed Light" aircraft had been re-engined with P&W TF-33 engines, but was at this time only used for proficiency training in landings and air refueling, not for operational reconnaissance missions, but was sometimes called "Rivet Dandy". The first two approaches were uneventful, but the crew apparently became disoriented and the third [[Microwave Landing System]] (MLS) approach was commenced some {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} north of the prescribed MLS inbound course. The crew of three, two pilots and a navigator, were killed when the aircraft flew into the side of a mountain. The approach procedure being attempted was certified for a de Havilland Canada [[DHC-7]], [[STOL]] airplane. Both the glide slope and missed approach flight path were too steep for an RC-135 aircraft. The wreckage was located on 2 August 1985.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*On 3 March 2003, two [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]] and [[Mikoyan MiG-23|MiG-23]] of the [[North Korea|North Korean]] [[Korean People's Army Air Force|KPAAF]] intercepted a RC-135S in the [[Sea of Japan]]. A MiG-29 came within 50 feet of the aircraft. Another locked onto it with fire control radar in preparation to conduct a shoot down. The RC-135S changed course towards Japan and landed at Kadena airbase.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmitt |first=Eric |date=4 March 2003 |title=NORTH KOREA MIG'S INTERCEPT U.S. JET ON SPYING MISSION |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/04/world/north-korea-mig-s-intercept-us-jet-on-spying-mission.html |access-date=22 February 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129063025/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/04/world/north-korea-mig-s-intercept-us-jet-on-spying-mission.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
*On 30 April 2015, USAF RC-135V, ''64-14848'', operating out of [[Offutt AFB]], NE aborted takeoff on a routine training mission, when crewmembers observed smoke and flames coming from the aft galley. The aircraft commander aborted the takeoff at about 50 KIAS and the cockpit crew, electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators and in-flight maintenance technicians—27 individuals in all—evacuated the aircraft. Although there were no injuries, except for minor smoke inhalation, the ensuing fire damaged aircraft control and mission related systems. Total repair cost was estimated at $62.4 million US. The cause of the mishap was failure by L3 Communications depot maintenance personnel to tighten a retaining nut connecting a metal oxygen tube to a junction fitting above the galley. The resulting fire melted the retaining nut and caused the tubing to become detached, feeding even more oxygen to the fire, which increased in size and caused severe damage to the airframe, galley and mission equipment aboard the aircraft. The oxygen line system work, which was listed as the cause of this 2015 mishap, was carried out in August 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150430-0|title=ASN Aircraft accident Boeing RC-135V Rivet Joint 64-14848 Bellevue-Offutt AFB, NE (OFF)|first=Harro|last=Ranter|website=aviation-safety.net|access-date=2 February 2019|archive-date=30 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130121808/https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20150430-0|url-status=live}}</ref>
*On 29 September 2022, an RAF RC-135 Rivet Joint plane interacted with two Russian [[Sukhoi Su-27|Su-27]] aircraft, one of which released a missile in the vicinity of the RAF Rivet Joint beyond visual range. Russia claimed this was due to a technical malfunction, and acknowledged the incident took place over the Black Sea in international waters. The UK defence secretary, Ben Wallace, declared "we are incredibly lucky that the episode did not become worse".<ref>{{cite web |last=Wintour |first=Patrick |date=20 October 2022 |title=Russian fighter jet 'released missile' near RAF plane due to malfunction, MPS hear |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/20/russian-fighter-jet-released-missile-near-raf-plane-over-black-sea |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020132211/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/20/russian-fighter-jet-released-missile-near-raf-plane-over-black-sea |archive-date=20 October 2022 |access-date=20 October 2022 |website=[[TheGuardian.com]]}}</ref> Later due to a set of [[2022–2023 Pentagon document leaks|classified data leaks]], more information was released regarding the incident. According to two U.S. defense officials, the Russian pilot had misinterpreted what a radar operator on the ground was saying to him and thought he had permission to fire. The pilot, who had locked on the British aircraft, fired, but the missile did not launch properly.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gibbons-Neff |first=Thomas |last2=Schmitt |first2=Eric |date=2023-04-12 |title=Miscommunication Nearly Led to Russian Jet Shooting Down British Spy Plane, U.S. Officials Say |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/world/europe/russian-jet-british-spy-plane.html |access-date=2023-05-11 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>