Fatality: Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons die in fatal Iraq military plane crash

Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons die in fatal Iraq military plane crash

1@

Fatal Iraq military plane crash death of Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons – Obituary

Six U.S. Air Force members were killed last week when their KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed over western Iraq during a mission supporting Operation Epic Fury. The victims were Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.

Klinner, Savino, and Pruitt served with the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, while Koval, Angst, and Simmons were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio.

According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the crew was conducting a mission over friendly territory, and the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. A second aircraft involved in the operation landed safely.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. This tanker incident marks the fourth U.S. aircraft lost since the start of hostilities with Iran, following an earlier mishap in which three F-15E jets were accidentally downed by a U.S. ally in Kuwait, with all six crew members safely ejected.