Phoenix Flight of Sorts: C-130 Soars Away From Antarctic ‘Grave’

A U.S. Hercules C-130 that was abandoned after crash-landing in Antarctica more than 16 years ago flew Saturday from the frozen continent to New Zealand, ending a lengthy salvage project that cost two American lives.

The ski-equipped transport plane was dug from its icy tomb a year ago and was restored before being flown 500 miles to the main American Antarctic base, McMurdo station, last Tuesday, the New Zealand Press Assn. said.

The plane crashed on takeoff in December, 1971, in a remote area of Antarctica. At the time, a rocket booster came loose and struck an engine, mangling the plane’s propeller.

The aircraft was then stripped of much of its equipment and abandoned to the ice. Salvage work was begun a year ago, however, when Navy officials figured that salvaging it would cost substantially less than the $75 million for a new plane.

About a year ago, the plane was dug from a 40-foot deep snowdrift. The dry Antarctic air had preserved the craft.

But the salvage effort was not without its losses. In December, another C-130 arriving with spare parts for the Hercules crashed on landing and two American military personnel were killed.

The salvaged C-130 made Saturday’s journey to Christchurch with its landing gear down the whole way.

“The old system for the landing gear needs to be checked out, so it is safer to fly with the wheels down,” said Capt. Dwight Fisher, commander of the U.S. Naval Support Force at McMurdo station.

Civilian engineers with Air New Zealand will work on the plane and it will then return to the United States for complete restoration before resuming service in Antarctica.

Meanwhile, New Zealand scientists said they had found the first aircraft lost in Antarctica, a Fokker monoplane used during U.S. Adm. Richard Byrd’s first expedition to the continent. The aircraft, which was damaged beyond repair during a storm in March, 1929, was found lying upside down on a frozen lake.

Officials said New Zealand is unlikely to try to salvage the plane.