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Michael and Theresa Lowry know July 10 will always be a painful day.
On that day in 2017, the parents lost their 30-year-old son. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Lawrie was aboard a KC-130T (callsign Yankee 72) when it crashed in rural Mississippi due to a loose propeller blade that was later determined to be faulty, killing him and the 15 Marines aboard.
However, seven years after the death of the soldiers, Military.com report Original Air Force Ryan’s employees were arrested this month, and federal authorities allege he was responsible for removing a critical inspection procedure that could have detected the propeller problems. The revelations, coming seven years after Ryan’s death, are hard to stomach.
“It came out of the blue,” Teresa said of the news, adding, “We’re not doing well.” Her husband, Michael, said he had not been informed of the latest developments in the case beforehand.
“Obviously it’s been seven years,” Michael said in an interview. Military.com“You never get over it. It’s like losing a child to a murder case. You never get over it until it’s over.”
James Michael Fisher, 67, is a former chief engineer in charge of C-130 propeller maintenance. Robins Air Force Base A Georgia police officer was arrested on July 2 as part of an investigation into the crash in Mississippi. He was charged with two counts related to making false statements and two counts of obstruction of justice as authorities investigate the cause of the crash.
Federal prosecutors said in the indictment that Fisher “was also one of the key decision makers in eliminating a critical inspection procedure in August 2011 that could have detected the defect before the propeller was put back into service.”
A C-130 Hercules aircraft undergoes routine maintenance in a hangar at Robins Air Force Base. U.S. Air Force photo by Joseph Mather
The latest developments in the criminal investigation have surprised many family members, said Kelsey McCarty, co-chair of the Yankee 72 Memorial Committee. Military.com In an interview, just days after many of the details of the former employee’s arrest were made public, many family members and supporters are gathering this weekend on the seventh anniversary to mourn the lives of the service members lost in the crash.
“I think this brings a new dimension to the case and kind of reopens old wounds,” McCarty said. “All the families were surprised by this.”
According to the indictment unsealed this week, a criminal investigation into the July 10, 2017 crash was opened in 2020. Aviation and safety experts said: Military.com Criminal charges are rare in connection with plane crashes, and tracing the paper trail to identify those responsible is a difficult investigative process.
“This is extremely time-consuming and resource-intensive,” said Greg Faith, a former senior air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. Military.com“And, of course, it takes a long time.”
Although federal investigators had completed their investigation into the crash and the military’s post-crash investigation, they believed there was more to the incident and began looking into the maintenance culture at Robins Air Force Base.
One of the key discoveries made by federal authorities was a document stating that the maintenance technician’s supervisor wanted the tests removed because they were “very time-consuming,” the indictment said. Investigators found “an Aug. 19, 2011 email in which Fisher stated he had ‘no problem’ removing the penetrant tests.” Penetrant tests are a key method of identifying defects in propeller blades.
In the indictment, investigators alleged that Fisher “attempted to obstruct the criminal investigation by intentionally concealing documents showing that he played a significant role in the elimination of a critical testing procedure and by making false statements to federal investigators to conceal his role in the elimination of a critical testing procedure.”
A C-130 flies over Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. U.S. Air Force photo by Jamal D. Sutter
Retired Colonel J.F. Joseph, Marines A pilot who also flies KC-130s and now works as an aviation consultant said the indictment’s contents were concerning.
“In the airline industry, if you make decisions based on saving time, money or convenience, you’re probably making the wrong choice,” Joseph said. Military.com“But from a safety culture standpoint, I find it hard to believe that anyone would take such a shortcut on a dynamic part like a C-130 propeller.”
A propeller blade that hadn’t been thoroughly inspected ended up being attached to Yankee 72, which led to “a tragic series of events that led to the aircraft’s mid-air breakup, uncontrolled descent and ultimate destruction,” the Marine Corps crash investigation detailed.
Fisher did not respond to calls and texts seeking comment at a phone number listed in his public records. He did not respond to multiple calls this week.
Other military personnel killed in the crash along with Lowry were: Maj. Kane M. Goyette, Capt. Shawn E. Elliott, Sergeant Mark A. Hopkins, Sergeant Brendan C. Johnson, Staff Sergeant Joshua M. Snowden, Sergeant Julian M. Kevien, Staff Sergeant Owen J. Lennon, Corporal Daniel I. Baldassarre, Corporal Collin J. Scharf, Staff Sergeant Robert H. Cox, Staff Sergeant William J. Kundrat, Sergeant Chad E. Jenson, Sergeant Taron R. Leach, Sergeant Joseph J. Murray, and Sergeant Dietrich A. Schmiemann.
Like many of the men aboard Yankee 72, Ryan Lowry left behind a large, loving family, including his wife, whom he married just a month before the crash, and two children. His obituary stated:.
“He was totally dedicated to his job,” Michael Lowry said. “He loved his job. He loved it every day.” Asked if he felt Fischer’s arrest was justice, Michael Lowry said, “Not at all.”