| Date | March 12, 2026 |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Force | United States Air Force |
| Conflict | 2026 Iran Conflict |
| Location | Western Iraq |
| Aircraft | KC-135R/T (KC-135 Stratotanker) |
| Event type | Crash |
| Change | -1 active |
A USAF KC-135R Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq near Turaibil on the Iraqi-Jordanian border during an Operation Epic Fury refueling sortie. CENTCOM confirmed that two KC-135s were involved in the incident, which was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, indicating a mid-air collision. The second tanker, serial 63-8017, made an emergency landing at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel with severe damage to its vertical stabilizer. All six crew members were killed, including three airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing. This was the first KC-135 loss in combat operations since 2013 and the fourth U.S. aircraft loss during Operation Epic Fury.
The first Boeing KC-135A flew on August 31, 1956. Seventy years on, 385 Stratotankers remain in service with three air forces, 52 percent of the world's 740 dedicated tankers, and 2026 has already cost the fleet two airframes and damaged eight more.
