Six U.S. service members were killed when a KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq during a refueling mission supporting operations in the Middle East, according to officials from the Department of War and U.S. Central Command.
The aircraft went down in western Iraq while operating in what officials described as “friendly airspace.” Early reports indicate the crash was not caused by hostile fire. Authorities say the incident occurred following an unspecified interaction between two aircraft, though the second aircraft landed safely. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The Department of War later released the identities of the six Airmen who lost their lives:
- Maj. Alex Klinner, 33, Auburn, Alabama
- Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, Covington, Washington
- Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, Mooresville, Indiana
- Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, Wilmington, Ohio
- Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, Bardstown, Kentucky
- Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, Columbus, Ohio
Three of the Airmen were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, while the other three served with the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard in Columbus.
Air refueling crews operate one of the most critical and technically demanding missions in military aviation. KC-135 crews routinely transfer tens of thousands of pounds of fuel to aircraft mid-flight, enabling fighters, bombers, and surveillance aircraft to extend their range and remain on station during combat operations.
The mission these Airmen were supporting was part of Operation Epic Fury, according to reporting.
Among those killed was Major Alex Klinner, a Birmingham-area Airman who had deployed less than a week before the crash. Klinner had recently been promoted and leaves behind his wife, Libby, and their three young children — a two-year-old son and seven-month-old twins.
In a message shared publicly after the tragedy, his wife described the devastation the family is experiencing following the sudden loss.
“On March 12, our world shattered,” Libby Klinner wrote. “Alex and his crew were on the plane that crashed in Iraq. I’m devastated to lose the best person I know, the person that made everything more fun, my best friend.”
She also described the heartbreak of knowing their children will grow up without their father.
“My heart is broken for our three kids who will grow up not knowing him,” she wrote. “He was an incredible person and husband, but he was the best dad.”
Friends and family have since launched a fundraising effort to support Klinner’s wife and children as they navigate life after his death.
National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Steven Nordhaus also issued a statement honoring the fallen Airmen and the mission they performed.
Air refueling crews, Nordhaus said, are essential to enabling combat operations across the globe, extending the reach of U.S. airpower and supporting missions across every branch of the military.
“Our entire National Guard family mourns the loss of six brave KC-135 Airmen,” Nordhaus said.
The crash has sent shockwaves through the tanker community, where KC-135 crews often deploy repeatedly to support operations across the Middle East and beyond.
For many in the military aviation world, the tragedy is a reminder that even routine missions in non-combat airspace carry significant risks.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
For now, six Airmen who supported one of the military’s most critical aviation missions are being remembered not only for their service, but for the families and communities they leave behind.
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