A newly released military report finds that a series of maintenance errors caused a deadly plane crash involving some members of Stewart Air Base in Newburgh.
The 2017 crash killed 15
Marines and a sailor. Nine of the victims were stationed out of Stewart, and were heading to a Naval facility in California.
The
65-page report found that bad maintenance practices at an Air Force Base in Georgia and Stewart Air National Guard Base caused a deteriorating propeller on the KC-130T to be overlooked before it plunged 20,000 feet into a Mississippi soybean field.
The report cites both air bases for failure to properly maintain and inspect the plane, as well as properly track maintenance records.
Inspectors found the plane broke apart mid-air, causing everyone aboard to suffer shock and disorientation in below-freezing conditions before the plane crashed.
The Navy has since grounded the fleet of KC-130T until all propellers can be replaced. The Air Force has agreed to make a series of changes to ensure a tragedy like this doesn't happen again.
Stewart Air National Guard officials declined to comment.