US Air Force pilot Kim Campbell showcased exceptional skill during a high-risk mission in Afghanistan. After her Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II was hit by an enemy missile, she lost hydraulic control of the aircraft. Unshaken by the setback, her precise piloting enabled her to bring the A-10 safely back to base, securing both her safety and the safety of her flight leader.
Kim Campbell’s A-10 Warthog is struck by an enemy missile
On April 7, 2003, Kim Campbell embarked on a mission to strike an Iraqi command post in Baghdad. Joined by her lead, Lt. Col. Rick “Bino” Turner, they received an urgent request for air support from the 3rd Infantry Division, which was under attack.
Navigating through the city, Campbell and Turner carefully worked to avoid civilian casualties and limit damage to infrastructure. They also faced the ongoing threat of surface-to-air missiles, which required precise maneuvers to protect Campbell’s A-10 Warthog from potential hits. Despite the increased risk from thick cloud cover, they remained focused on their mission.
After conducting multiple passes and deploying rockets and 30 mm rounds against enemy targets, the mission initially seemed successful. However, disaster struck on their final approach as Campbell’s A-10 was suddenly engulfed by an ominous orange fireball, severely damaging the hydraulic system and sending the aircraft into a sharp descent.
Kim Campbell was trained in how to manually fly the A-10 Warthog
Kim Campbell’s flight training kicked in immediately. Her first priority was to maintain control of the A-10. She reflected, “In an emergency situation like that, I felt like time slowed down. I knew I had to take quick action but I also had to figure out what was going on in my cockpit.”
She determined that manually flying the A-10 was the best course of action. Fortunately, it’s one of the few aircraft capable of operating without hydraulics, thanks to its manual reversion system, which allows pilots to fly in emergencies.
“Aircraft control in the manual flight mode is exceptionally demanding of piloting skills,” noted the Air Force Human Resources Laboratory in a 1982 report on the manual reversion system.
A quick lesson while under fire
Campbell had to relearn how to manually fly while under anti-aircraft fire. Fortunately, her piloting skills were sharp enough that it wasn’t overly challenging for her.“Once I flipped the switch to manual reversion, I don’t remember it being overly difficult,” she said. “I was just so relieved the airplane was finally climbing and responding.”
After the critical hit, Campbell and Turner managed to exit the combat zone largely unharmed, and she manually flew the A-10 for 300 miles back to Kuwait.
Landing manually is a completely different ball game
Kim Campbell, however, was far from ideal conditions. Her aircraft had sustained severe damage, riddled with bullet holes and a compromised right horizontal stabilizer. After assessing the risks with Turner, they decided to proceed with a manual landing. Reflecting on the experience, Campbell said, “[Turner’s] actions after I was hit were absolutely critical. I was so focused on flying the airplane, getting it under control, whereas he had more awareness of what was going on around me.”
Campbell successfully landed the A-10 and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for her bravery. Lt. Col. Mike Millen, Chief of the 355th Fighter Wing Commander’s Action Group, remarked, “Kim landed that jet with no hydraulics better than I land the A-10 every day with all systems operational.”
Interestingly, when Campbell later practiced similar manual landings in simulators, the results were not as successful.
Kim Campbell went right back to it
Even though she showed bravery in the moment, Kim Campbell confessed that she was truly frightened inside. “When I go back and listen to the audio recording [of the flight], I can hear the fear, I just didn’t have time to think about it,” she recalled. Nevertheless, she climbed back into the cockpit the next day.
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Now retired, Campbell logged 1,800 hours of flight time and completed over 100 combat missions in the A-10. For her, it’s all about being an excellent pilot. “I never wanted to be labeled as a female fighter pilot,” she explained. “I wanted to be the best pilot. So just work hard and be credible. Be good at what you do.”
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