A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System C-130 crew was awarded the Air Mobility Command Chief of Safety Aircrew of Distinction Award for landing their aircraft at Hill AFB after the nose landing gear failed to extend.
The aircraft had completed aerial firefighting missions in southern Utah on Aug. 17, 2014 when the crew noticed trouble with the nose wheel.
Despite circling the airfield for three hours and calling a Lockheed Martin engineer and test pilot for assistance, the crew exhausted every method available to lower the nose gear and proceeded to make an emergency landing. Still, a small fire broke out when the transport plane landed on the runway, which was covered in foam.
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