TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – A KC-135 aircraft with a group of middle school students on board was forced to make an emergency landing on Tuesday after taking off from MacDill Air Force Base.
The plane left MacDill Thursday morning for a refueling trip. According to MacDill, the flight lead made the decision to cut the flight short and make an emergency landing.
“The crew noticed a potential issue in the boom pod area,” base officials said in a Facebook post.
Everyone on the plane exited safely after landing back at MacDill. They were checked by flight doctors before being released.
In addition to the flight crew, students from McLane Middle School in Brandon were also on the plane at the time. According to MacDill, it’s part of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) program.
The air force base’s website says several “flying classrooms” – or a flight on a local training mission that students are allowed on – happen each year.
LATEST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS:
- Tampa mayor, police chief rappel down Hilton to raise awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay
- Florida coronavirus: State reports 4,690 new cases, 98 new deaths
- Hillsborough County forced to turn away hundreds of residents who want vaccine but aren’t yet eligible
- Adventure Island delays opening for 2021 season to Sunday due to rainy weather
- Florida coronavirus: State reports 5,975 new cases, 135 new deaths
