Tirana - Tirana

On March 31, 2005 at 08:00 PM, Tirana - Tirana experienced a crash involving Lockheed C-130 Hercules, operated by United States Air Force - USAF, with the event recorded near Gramsh Elbasan.

The flight was categorized as training and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

9 people were known to be on board, 9 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 9, crew fatalities: 9, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Group based at RAF Mildenhall, the four engine aircraft departed Tirana-Rinas Airport in the evening for a night training mission with the Albanian Army. While flying at low height, about 300 feet above the ground by night and using night-vision goggles, the crew elected to gain height while approaching a ridge. Unable to climb, the aircraft stalled and crashed in hilly and snow covered terrain. The aircraft was destroyed and all nine occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration 87-0127, MSN 5118, year of manufacture 1987.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 40.8699°, 20.1846°.