In an unexpected turn of events, a piece from a C-17 military cargo plane detached and plummeted into a school parking lot near Charleston, South Carolina. The incident, involving the tail cone of the aircraft, occurred at the Divine Redeemer Catholic School and Church in Hanahan. WBTV reported that there were no students in the vicinity when the tail cone fell, and the aircraft managed to land safely at Joint Base Charleston after what was described as a "malfunction."
Officials from Joint Base Charleston confirmed that the C-17 Globemaster III experienced a malfunction midflight, leading to the detachment of the component. A recovery team was promptly dispatched to the site, situated roughly an eight-mile drive from the base, to retrieve the fallen tail cone. According to WSOCTV, there were no reported injuries or damage to property from this unforeseen event.
Military personnel responded to the incident with concern for the local community. In a statement sent to WBTV, the Charleston Diocese shared that "the sergeants were apologetic and concerned about the school and our community’s welfare." Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force maintained that the reliability and maintainability of the C-17 system remain highly regarded despite the day's unusual occurrence.
The mishap gained further attention when Trooper Bob, a Navy veteran and traffic anchor, reported it on his X account. In his post, he included images of the sizable tail cone resting alarmingly in the school parking lot. He reported, "This fell out of the sky and onto the parking lot of Divine Redeemer School in Hanahan around 4pm today."
Hanahan, South Carolina-
— Trooper Bob (@TrooperBob_SC) September 12, 2024
WOW! A viewer tells me her dad took these pictures. This fell out of the sky and onto the parking lot of Divine Redeemer School in Hanahan around 4pm today.
📸: H. Nguyen @ABCNews4
Update: A military pilot tells me that’s a rear tail cone off a C-17.… pic.twitter.com/o2J8eewbRp
