What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 1, 2025,0930L, a Lockheed C-130A (civilian), privacy data omittedwas conducting a high-altitude parachute extraction test as part of a military rdt&e mission. The objective of this flight was to evaluate the behavior and extraction dynamics of a weighted platform under controlled conditions. However, the mission experienced a critical deviation from expected procedures, leading to an uncommanded load shift, in-flight instability, and injury to two crew members (non-flight crews).
As the aircraft circling at FL240 over the test area near Daggett, CA, the loadmasters prepared the cargo for parachute extraction. The operation proceeded normally until the release of the left-hand dual rail restraint locks. At this point, without parachute deployment, the platform unexpectedly began to roll aft under its own weight. This resulted in an unplanned and progressive aft shift in the aircraft’s center of gravity (CG), prompting a nose-up pitch.
Moments later, the platform exited the aircraft via the open cargo ramp. The sudden loss of weight at the rear caused an immediate and pronounced shift in CG to the forward axis. The aircraft responded with a sharp nose-down pitch. This sudden dynamic movement caused multiple unseated crew members in the cargo area to lose footing—some were briefly airborne within the compartment.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 1, 2025,0930L, A LOCKHEED C-130A (CIVILIAN), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WAS CONDUCTING A HIGH-ALTITUDE PARACHUTE EXTRACTION TEST AS PART OF A MILITARY RDT&E MISSION. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS FLIGHT WAS TO EVALUATE THE BEHAVIOR AND EXTRACTION DYNAMICS OF A WEIGHTED PLATFORM UNDER CONTROLLED CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE MISSION EXPERIENCED A CRITICAL DEVIATION FROM EXPECTED PROCEDURES, LEADING TO AN UNCOMMANDED LOAD SHIFT, IN-FLIGHT INSTABILITY, AND INJURY TO TWO CREW MEMBERS (NON-FLIGHT CREWS).
AS THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLING AT FL240 OVER THE TEST AREA NEAR DAGGETT, CA, THE LOADMASTERS PREPARED THE CARGO FOR PARACHUTE EXTRACTION. THE OPERATION PROCEEDED NORMALLY UNTIL THE RELEASE OF THE LEFT-HAND DUAL RAIL RESTRAINT LOCKS. AT THIS POINT, WITHOUT PARACHUTE DEPLOYMENT, THE PLATFORM UNEXPECTEDLY BEGAN TO ROLL AFT UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. THIS RESULTED IN AN UNPLANNED AND PROGRESSIVE AFT SHIFT IN THE AIRCRAFT’S CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG), PROMPTING A NOSE-UP PITCH.
MOMENTS LATER, THE PLATFORM EXITED THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE OPEN CARGO RAMP. THE SUDDEN LOSS OF WEIGHT AT THE REAR CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE AND PRONOUNCED SHIFT IN CG TO THE FORWARD AXIS. THE AIRCRAFT RESPONDED WITH A SHARP NOSE-DOWN PITCH. THIS SUDDEN DYNAMIC MOVEMENT CAUSED MULTIPLE UNSEATED CREW MEMBERS IN THE CARGO AREA TO LOSE FOOTING—SOME WERE BRIEFLY AIRBORNE WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N466TM · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.