A KC-46A Pegasus refueling tanker was forced to conduct an emergency landing July 8 after its refueling boom was shredded in a mishap off the East Coast.
The unofficial Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco posted photos of the KC-46 Friday, which showed extensive damage to the plane’s refueling boom. The War Zone first reported the damage to the KC-46.
The photos show most of the boom is ripped off, with its remaining metal ripped and twisted and a chain hanging down. The underside of the plane’s tail was also dented and scraped, which may have occurred from the damaged boom.
John Van Winkle, a spokesperson at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, confirmed one of the base’s tankers was damaged and pictured in the post.
Inbox: "McConnell tail that landed at SJ for the boom"
Posted by Air Force amn/nco/snco on Friday, July 11, 2025
The KC-46, which is from McConnell’s 22nd Air Refueling Wing, was refueling F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Langley-Eustis that afternoon when the mishap occurred, Van Winkle said. The crew declared an in-flight emergency and landed safely at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina without any injuries, he said. The F-22s returned to their home base.
A safety investigation is now under way, Van Winkle said, and no further details could be released.