THE CAR ARE ADULTS. THEIR IDENTITIES HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED. WE ARE ALSO STARTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SERVICE MEMBERS WHO WERE ON BOARD A KC 135 THAT WENT DOWN IN WESTERN IRAQ. SIX DEATHS HAVE NOW BEEN CONFIRMED AT KOCO. JASON BURGER JOINING US LIVE. AND JASON, WE HAVE LEARNED THREE WERE FROM OUT OF STATE. YEAH THAT’S RIGHT. AND WE’VE CONFIRMED TONIGHT THAT THREE OF THOSE AIRCREW ARE FROM A UNIT OUT OF OHIO. NOW, AS FOR THE OTHER THREE ON THAT PLANE, WE HAVEN’T HEARD ANY DETAILS YET. BUT HERE’S WHAT WE DO KNOW. IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, KOCO 5 HAS BEEN WORKING TO FIND OUT IF ANY OF THE AIRCREW ON BOARD THE CRASHED KC 135 STRATOTANKER WERE FROM OKLAHOMA. SO FAR, WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION ON THAT. WE’VE REACHED OUT TO TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, AND U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AND CENTRAL COMMAND DID RESPOND AND SAID, QUOTE, OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILIES, WE HAVE NOTHING TO ADD TO OUR PRESS RELEASE AT THIS TIME. WHAT WE CAN CONFIRM IS THAT THE 121ST AIR REFUELING WING OUT OF RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE POSTED THEY HAD LOST THREE AIRMEN DURING THE MARCH 12TH INCIDENT, WHERE A KC 135 STRATOTANKER WENT DOWN IN WESTERN IRAQ. THAT BASE IS IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. IN A STATEMENT, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND POSTED TWO OF THOSE KC ONE I-35 WERE INVOLVED AND THE OTHER LANDED SAFELY. ABC NEWS CONFIRMED THAT AIR CREW WAS FROM BEALE AIR FORCE BASE NORTH OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA AREA. AND WE DO KNOW, AS MANY OF YOU DO TOO, THAT ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE IS THE PRIMARY BASE FOR KC 135 AIRCREW TRAINING AND TINKER AIR FORCE BASE IS HOME OF THE 507TH AIR REFUELING WING. WE ARE STILL WORKING TO FIND OUT IF ANY OF THESE AIRMEN INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT OVER IRAQ TRAINED IN OKLAHOMA AT ANY POINT DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE, DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH COMMENTED ON THE KC 135 INCIDENT WAS CHAOS AND AS WE SAW YESTERDAY WITH THE TRAGIC CRASH OF OUR KC 135 TANKER, BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN. WE DID REACH OUT TO TINKER AIR FORCE BASE. THEY GAVE US A STATEMENT ON HOW THEY SUPPORT FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO ARE DEPLOYED, AND THE BASE SAID IN PART, QUOTE, TINKER ALSO HAS A SPOUSE PROGRAM EMBEDDED IN UNITS ACROSS THE INSTALLATION. THEY SERVE TO ASSIST COMMAND TEAMS WITH DIRECT COMMUNICATION TO FAMILIES, ENSURING THE TIMELY RESOLUTION OF ANY CHALLENGE. ALSO, MILITARY CHAPLAINS ARE AVAILABLE TO OFFER SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND TO HELP FAMILIES AT HO
Ohio aircrew members confirmed dead in KC-135 crash in Iraq
Three aircrew members from Ohio died in a KC-135 Stratotanker crash in western Iraq, with investigations ongoing to determine if any were trained in Oklahoma.
Updated: 10:11 PM CDT Mar 13, 2026
Three aircrew members from Ohio have been confirmed dead following the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq, while details about the other crew members remain undisclosed. >> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning NewsletterKOCO 5 has been working to determine if any of the aircrew were from Oklahoma, but no official confirmation has been received. Efforts to gather information from Tinker Air Force Base, Altus Air Force Base, and U.S. Central Command have been made, with Central Command stating, “Out of respect for the families, we have nothing to add to our press release at this time.”The 121st Air Refueling Wing from Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, announced the loss of three airmen during the March 12 incident. U.S. Central Command confirmed that two KC-135s were involved, with one landing safely. ABC News reported that the aircrew from the safely landed aircraft was from Beale Air Force Base, north of Sacramento, California.Altus Air Force Base is known as the primary base for KC-135 aircrew training, and Tinker Air Force Base is home to the 507th Air Refueling Wing. Investigations are ongoing to determine if any of the airmen involved in the incident were trained in Oklahoma.During a news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented on the incident, saying, “War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen.”Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.U.S. Central Command also stated the crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire. Updates will continue to be provided as more information becomes available.And Tinker Air Force Base gave KOCO 5 a statement Friday night on how they support families of those who are deployed, with officials saying in part, ” Tinker also has a spouse program embedded in units across the installation. They serve to assist command teams with direct communication to families ensuring the timely resolution of any challenge. Also, military Chaplains are available to offer spiritual guidance and to help families at home through confidential counseling.”Top HeadlinesAll 6 crew members confirmed dead after US military refueling plane crashes in IraqAll six crew members killed in KC-135 crash over Iraq; Oklahoma bases hubs for refuelingBlast rocks Tehran after Israel threatened to target area of government-organized rallyWhat 1989’s ‘home of the future’ got right and wrongOKC police investigating after child struck by vehicle, driver flees
Three aircrew members from Ohio have been confirmed dead following the crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in western Iraq, while details about the other crew members remain undisclosed.
>> Download the KOCO 5 app | Subscribe to KOCO 5’s YouTube channel | Sign up for KOCO 5’s Morning Newsletter
KOCO 5 has been working to determine if any of the aircrew were from Oklahoma, but no official confirmation has been received.
Efforts to gather information from Tinker Air Force Base, Altus Air Force Base, and U.S. Central Command have been made, with Central Command stating, “Out of respect for the families, we have nothing to add to our press release at this time.”
The 121st Air Refueling Wing from Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, announced the loss of three airmen during the March 12 incident.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that two KC-135s were involved, with one landing safely.
ABC News reported that the aircrew from the safely landed aircraft was from Beale Air Force Base, north of Sacramento, California.
Altus Air Force Base is known as the primary base for KC-135 aircrew training, and Tinker Air Force Base is home to the 507th Air Refueling Wing. Investigations are ongoing to determine if any of the airmen involved in the incident were trained in Oklahoma.
During a news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth commented on the incident, saying, “War is chaos. And as we saw yesterday with the crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen.”
Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.
U.S. Central Command also stated the crash was not due to hostile or friendly fire.
Updates will continue to be provided as more information becomes available.
And Tinker Air Force Base gave KOCO 5 a statement Friday night on how they support families of those who are deployed, with officials saying in part, ” Tinker also has a spouse program embedded in units across the installation. They serve to assist command teams with direct communication to families ensuring the timely resolution of any challenge. Also, military Chaplains are available to offer spiritual guidance and to help families at home through confidential counseling.”
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