A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 landed safely shortly before 11 a.m. Friday at Kona International Airport after a midair hydraulic failure led to an emergency landing.
A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 landed safely shortly before 11 a.m. Friday at Kona International Airport after a midair hydraulic failure led to an emergency landing.
Originally, it was reported the landing gear would not come down, raising the possibility the airplane would have to land on its belly, said FAA Southwest Region spokesman Lynn Lunsford.
Firefighters responded to the airport and watched the airplane come in with gear deployed. Lunsford said there were no injuries reported.
The C-130 Hercules is a transport aircraft used for multiple missions, including dropping life rafts, dewatering pumps or dispersant for oil pollution control. On Friday, the airplane was being used to move equipment from Honolulu to the Big Island, said Lt. Scott Carr with the Coast Guard.
The hydraulic system uses pressure to move parts of the airplane, including the brakes, landing gear and control surfaces. The failure of this system made it difficult for the crew to deploy the flaps, Carr said. Flaps drop down from the rear of the wing and help slow an aircraft, particularly during landing.
The decision to declare an emergency and land in Kona was made because the airport has an 11,000-foot runway that provided more room for the plane to land, Carr said. The airplane used much of the runway’s length, coming to a stop in the southern third of the strip.
Carr confirmed there were no injuries, but was unable to provide the number of people on the Air Station Barbers Point-based aircraft at the time of the emergency.
The plane remained on the airport’s lone runway, resulting in landing delays until about 1:20 p.m., when it moved off.
“We are sorry for the delay and inconvenience it’s causing users of the airport there,” Carr said Friday afternoon. “We are trying to get it out and we are thankful that the crew landed safely.”
Emergency landings are practiced often by the crews, Carr said.
“That training paid off today,” he added.
Email Chelsea Jensen at cjensen@westhawaiitoday.com.
Email Graham Milldrum at gmilldrum@westhawaiitoday.com.