A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 108th Wing sits on the flight line at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., June 22, 2017. A KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft landed safely at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, after experiencing an in-flight emergency. (Matt Hecht/U.S. Air National Guard)
(Tribune News Service) — A military aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing Wednesday at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Mich., after its landing gear failed, according to a spokesperson.
The incident took place around 12:30 p.m. when a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft landed safely at Selfridge after experiencing an in-flight emergency. The aircraft departed from Selfridge on a routine training mission with the intent to return to Selfridge.
Three people aboard the aircraft were safe. They had circled the airfield a number of times before touching down and had several hours of fuel on the aircraft.
“The aircraft is being inspected by the 191st Maintenance Squadron and maintenance will be performed as required,” Tech. Sgt. Chelsea Fitzpatrick, a spokesperson for the 127th Wing, wrote in an email.
Selfridge’s fire department stood by on the runway in case of an explosion ignited by the touchdown. That’s a standard operating procedure whenever an in-flight emergency is reported by the air crew, Fitzpatrick said.
The aircraft was performing a flyby for a tower checkout when the emergency landing occurred.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The airbase is located at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Rosso Highway near Lake St. Clair.
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