On 15 SEPTEMBER 1974 Captain Dennis Kent, SSgt Homer Perry, Captain Art Poe, and TSgt Louis Boos on board a DE Havilland C-7A Caribou serving with the 94th Tactical Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Force Base were on a local training mission with 13 Aeromedical personnel on board.
During the takeoff roll, from Middle Georgia Airport in Macon Georgia, the number-2 (right) engine of the C-7A exploded and erupted into flames. Due to atmospheric conditions and aircraft configuration, the flight crew was unable to abort the takeoff roll and subsequently committed to continue the takeoff. The C-7A crew struggled to achieve a 150ft per minute rate of climb which took approximately 3 minutes to reach 500ft above ground level.
Upon reaching 500ft the flight crew began shut down procedures on the number-2 engine and to extinguish the fire. Due to a magnesium fire in the engine nacelle, the first attempt to extinguish the fire was unsuccessful while witnesses testified seeing flames trailing as much as 100ft behind the number-2 engine.
With an unsuccessful first attempt the crew discharged the remaining engine fire extinguisher which was also unsuccessful at extinguishing the right engine fire. As the crew attempted to extinguish the right engine fire, the aircraft commander was able to turn the aircraft around and maneuvered the aircraft lining up with the opposite runway. The right engine self extiguished when the aircraft was on final approach.
Up on repair and inspect of the aircraft during the trimming of both egnines the left engine failed 2 minutes after engine start. This was a resut of on a prior flight both engines were over boosted. Had the crew not acted as fast as they had the loss of both engines would occured.
The crew made a successful emergency landing and safely evacuated all personnel on the aircraft. Mishap Investigators discovered that had the fire not been extinguished the aircraft would have likely exploded in mid-flight resulting in wing separation. The rapid and decisive actions of the crew resulted in the saving of 17 lives and a multi-million-dollar aircraft asset from total destruction which reflect great credit upon themselves and the USAF.
Thank you, and please only sign this petition if you are in the United States, if you aren't please understanding this is to effect politics and other issues here and even though your signatures are appreciated they can't help with this.
This petition will go to the President of the United States Donald J. Trump and ask him to please award the crew the Distinguished Flying Cross for the heroism they showed saving the passenger and themselves.
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