Air Force aircraft makes emergency landing after in-flight incident

The KC-10 Extender has served in the Air Force inventory since March 1981. It's capable of refueling a variety of U.S. and allied aircraft in flight.

An Air Force KC-10 made an emergency landing at Mountain Home Air Force Base on Tuesday after a piece of the refueling tanker fell off while in flight.

The KC-10 Extender, assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., was conducting training in support of the base's Gunfighter Flag exercise when the refueling boom separated from the aircraft near the Mountain Home Range Complex around 12:20 p.m.

According to a base spokesperson, the boom landed in a field near Hammett with no injuries reported. Base officials are currently working to recover the aircraft component.

The KC-10 has been in the Air Force's inventory since first deployed in March 1981. In addition to refueling aircraft in flight, the tanker can also serve as a cargo transport in addition to supporting aeromedical evacuation missions.

The tanker uses the boom to transfer fuel from its three fuel tanks located throughout the jet. It's equipped with a hose and drogue centerline refueling system to allow the KC-10 to refuel a wide variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission.

The cause of the incident remains under investigation.