Crash That Killed AF Officer, 4 Others Tied to Faulty Valve
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AVOCA, Pa. — An airplane crash that killed the commander of the Tactical Air Command and four others was caused by a malfunctioning valve in the hydraulic system that affected the brakes, steering and landing gear, an Air Force official said Wednesday.
Gen. Jerome O’Malley and four others, including O’Malley’s wife, were killed April 20 after their CT-39 Sabreliner made a perfect landing at the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre International Airport but failed to stop and went over a 110-foot embankment at the end of the runway.
Brig. Gen. Dick Trzaskoma said the crew members applied the aircraft’s brakes manually but could not stop it.
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