Lockheed LC-130R
 
Lockheed production number:  4305
Lockheed series number:  382C-9D
Type/Model/Series  LC-130R
US Navy Buno:  155917
Build date:  1968
VX-6 side number:  JD-17
History: Operated with VX-6 / VXE-6 from 1968 to 1973. This was a "one only" Navy LC-130R buy from Lockheed.
Disposition:  Crashed on landing at the South Pole Station 28 Jan 73.  It is located about a quarter mile off of the the approach end of the South Pole runway, used as a guidence marker.
 
 
917a3billyace.jpg (98252 bytes)
From Billy-Ace
Message on the final voyage of XD-917
 
 
donledger917badwx.jpg (284269 bytes)
Photo by Don Leger
 
donledgerfuel917pole.jpg (274596 bytes)
Photo by Don Leger
 
donledgerfuelpole2319.jpg (296382 bytes)
Photo by Don Leger
 
917a1billyace.jpg (103285 bytes)
Photo from Billy Ace
 
917donl.jpg (113946 bytes)
Photo by Don Leger
 
917a2billyace.jpg (72099 bytes)
Photo from Billy Ace
 
spin917crasha.jpg (55543 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashb.jpg (85734 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashc.jpg (114663 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashd.jpg (92425 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashe.jpg (63923 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashh.jpg (65944 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashg.jpg (103665 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashi.jpg (65720 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
spin917crashf.jpg (172931 bytes)
Photo by Mike Draper
 
jd1701.JPG (18740 bytes)
 
 
917polecrash1978.jpg (17913 bytes)
Photo from Joel Michalski
 
917polecrash1999.jpg (44264 bytes)
Photo from Joel Michalski
 
bob917before.jpg (15046 bytes)
Photo from  Bob Nyden
 
bob917after.jpg (17596 bytes)
Photo from  Bob Nyden
 
bob917after1.jpg (40344 bytes)
Photo from  Bob Nyden
I found this picture in the squadron's
25th anniversary/1975 cruise book
 
155917aftermath.jpg (80818 bytes)
photo from  Bob Nyden
 
jd917.JPG (19795 bytes)
 
jd917a.JPG (17337 bytes)
 
jd917b.JPG (20491 bytes)
 
917.jpg (107216 bytes)
 
jd917c.jpg (24387 bytes)
 
Date:  Thu, 30 Mar 2000
From:  Bob Nyden  Frumenty@ispchannel.com  
I was "there" for the 71/72, 72/73, and 73/74 seasons. The 917 crash site pretty well covered the length of the skiway at pole and it was quite a mess for the rest of the year after the accident, but because the loss put us down to only two Hercs (319 and 320), air ops were severely curtailed. For SAR purposes, both planes had to be mechanically up for either to fly, and by that time of year most of the flights were turnarounds to ChCh. By the time we got back the next year (73), there was no trace of the wreck. The w/o crew had apparently dragged it all off and repaired the skiway. I was told then that the thing was buried, and I think another navigator gave me the subject picture to prove that it wasn't. At any rate, it wasn't obvious from the skiway or the parking area in front of the dome loading area. It may be that they truly buried it all before the
press all showed up for the dedication in 75.
Bob N. 

Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 20:39:54 -0700
To: spindle@attglobal.net
From: Bob Nyden Frumenty@ispchannel.com
Subject: 917 crash aftermath
Bill and Joe:
Here are the pictures I have of 917 after it crashed at Pole. These were taken the day after the accident by a fellow navigator named Mike Draper, who was on the first investigation/rescue flight out from McMurdo. As you can see, it was a day of heavy overcast, and he used a cheap point-and-shoot camera. Still, some of these shots are pretty dramatic, and with a little color/exposure correction they can be made to look okay.
The story of the crash that went around at the time was that a thin layer of ice fog was reported a few hundred feet over the station.
The plane was making a GCA approach, but the ice fog was thin enough that from above you could see right through it. As the controller handed over landing to the pilot Major Allen (Correction by Patrick Yoas)  (Maj George MacGlaughlin (sp?)), the copilot said he had the skiway visually. Major Allen (Maj Mac) looked up and saw nothing but fog. By the time he reacted (i.e., added power and rotated up to go around), he was too low and bashed the tail on the snow right at the ramp. The plane slammed down, wingtips and props hit the snow and came off. In some of the pix you can see that it looks as if the plane sort of walked out of its shoes. The impact
cracked open the fuselage at the paratroop doors, and the 500 gallon MOGAS bladder that was strapped to the ramp came loose, fell out, and was ignited by flames streaming from the broken wing tanks. It burned a hole way down into the snow and was still steaming hours later. The crew did everything right after landing: even though everyone piled out through every available orifice without delay (!), it was reported that all the power and and engine controls were off or safe as specified--although there wasn't much left to shut down.
The only thing still on when the cockpit was checked later was the Inertial Nav System, which was still trying to run on its battery.
Bob N
 
The last moments of 917....
New info added to Dave Riley's VX-6 webpage on 917.
 
Cool Chick's webpage
 
Bill Spindler's webpage on 155917
 
Antarctic Website