Unqualified pilot, inadequate training and a nonstandard maneuver: Inside the investigation to the 2018 midair refueling collision that killed six Marines
By: Shawn Snow and Todd South
September 19 at 7:41 AM
The recovered voice data recorder from the Marine Corps KC-130 bearing the call-sign Sumo 41 captured one last conversation before the air refueler collided with an F/A-18 off the coast of Japan in the early morning hours of Dec. 6, 2018.
“Are they gonna f*cking burn by both of us on each side?" the last transmission from Sumo 41 reads.
“Dude I was about to ask like can they do something cool like we used to? Nobody does that shit anymore. Never. I f*cking like it guys. Excited...whata you say a left turn to, uh back toward ah, actually this is perfect. 12 [Profane 12, the call-sign for the crashed F/A-18] is crossing over the top from left to right. Oh..sheeiit.... what they gonna do? Visual on one. There you go.â€
https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/09/23/mission-improficiency-inadequate-training-oversight-inside-the-investigation-to-the-2018-midair-refueling-collision-that-killed-six-marines/
