Fire blamed for Altus C-17 mishap Published Oct. 31, 2003 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- A fire on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., caused a flight to be aborted and the plane to be evacuated during a mishap June 25.An Air Force investigation team determined a fire in the vicinity of the No. 1 engine started when a hose burst, allowing hydraulic fluid to drip onto the hot casing of the engine. The turbine case was hot enough to cause the fluid to ignite.The aircraft mission was scheduled as an instructor-pilot upgrade sortie with two student instructor pilots, one loadmaster and one instructor pilot on board. The mission involved air refueling and airport traffic pattern training. The crew was practicing ground operations when the fire occurred.The instructor pilot, Lt. Col. Michael Gosnell of the 58th Airlift Squadron, positioned the C-17 throttles into reverse to demonstrate a backing maneuver when the cockpit indicated a malfunction. Soon after, a crewmember warned about smoke and flames from the engine.The pilot shut down the aircraft and safely evacuated the crew. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)