German Media: Three U.S. C-130 Transport Planes Crashed in Five Months

According to a report by Reference News Network on April 7, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported on April 4 that on March 23, a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin crashed in Colombia, resulting in at least 66 fatalities among the 128 people on board. This marks the third major accident involving this aircraft model in five months.

At the end of February, a plane of the same model crashed after overrunning the runway during landing in Bolivia, causing over 20 deaths among those on board and on the ground. On November 11, 2025, a Turkish C-130 military transport aircraft crashed on the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, resulting in 20 deaths. Video footage showed the aircraft's fuselage and tail section breaking apart during flight, followed by a spiral descent to the ground.

The C-130 has been produced by Lockheed Martin for over 60 years. Currently, about 2,500 aircraft of this series are still in service, including specific models such as the C-130 Hercules, Super Hercules, and L-100 (the civilian version of the C-130). The C-130 is equipped with four turboprop engines and is known for its durability, which is why it is often used for hurricane observation.

High-powered turboprop aircraft like the C-130 Hercules can take off and land on grass, gravel roads, and other unpaved surfaces (even beaches) in less than 1,000 meters. The C-130 typically can carry 120 people. However, the aircraft that crashed in Colombia was carrying 128 people, and the fuel tanks may have been full. Additionally, the outdoor temperature was relatively high (28 degrees Celsius), which may have caused the aircraft to exceed its performance limits during takeoff, failing to climb to a normal altitude and ultimately crashing just two kilometers from the departure airport.

Colombian aviation accident investigation authorities are expected to conduct a joint investigation into the crash with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. If the National Transportation Safety Board is concerned about widespread safety issues with older Hercules transport aircraft, it may ground some C-130s.

Although some C-130 transport aircraft still in service are over half a century old, this does not mean they have lost their combat capability. In aviation, maintenance is more important than the age of the aircraft. For decades, the C-130 has been regarded as a robust and durable aircraft. With its four engines, even if one or two fail, the aircraft can still continue flying and land safely. The aircraft that crashed in Colombia was manufactured in 1984 and underwent major repairs, including structural work, between 2021 and 2023.

However, even the most robust structures seem to sometimes reach (or even exceed) their limits—at least in high-intensity firefighting missions. For example, 24 years ago, a C-130 disintegrated while en route to a fire in California, with its wings breaking apart during flight. (Translated by Zhong Sirui)