17 survive doomed flight
2006-04-03 21:13
Dover - A C-5 cargo plane, the US military's largest aircraft, crashed on Monday just short of a runway at Dover air force base after developing problems during take-off, officials said.
All 17 people aboard survived, though several were injured.
The plane went down about 06:30 (10:30 GMT), according to Melissa Phillips, a spokesperson for the base.
Officials with the state and the military had no immediate details on the extent of the injuries to those aboard.
BayHealth in Dover had about 10 people from the plane, including some who appeared able to walk, hospital spokesperson Pam Marecki said.
The huge C-5 broke into three pieces, with the cockpit separated from the fuselage and left lying at a right angle to the main part of the plane.
The broken-off tail assembly was several hundred yards metres away and a wing was shattered, but there was no evidence of smoke or flames.
Emergency crews, some in hazardous materials suits, examined the wreckage in light rain and under overcast skies.
According to initial reports, the plane had just taken off and had some indications of a problem, said Ellen Haddock, spokesperson at the Pentagon's joint chiefs of staff.
It turned back to land and fell short of the runway, she said.
It wasn't immediately clear if the plane was carrying cargo when it went down.
The C-5 Galaxy, made by Lockheed, is one of the largest aircraft in the world.
It was first delivered to the military in 1970.
Even with a payload of almost 200 000kg, the latest version can fly non-stop for 4 000km at jet speeds, according to Lockheed Martin Corp.
- AP