New USAF OA-1K Skyraider II Crashes in Oklahoma During Training Flight

Oklahoma City emergency crews rushed to a field near Southeast 119th and Sooner Place after a U.S. Air Force OA-1K Skyraider II went down Thursday afternoon. The aircraft, operated by the 492nd Special Operations Wing out of Will Rogers Air National Guard Base, was on a routine training mission when it suffered apparent engine trouble and clipped two power poles during its descent.

Fire officials said both crew members—a civilian contractor and an active-duty Air Force service member—escaped without injury. The impact downed power lines, sparked a small grass fire, and briefly knocked out electricity in the surrounding area before firefighters brought it under control.

The Skyraider II is one of the newest aircraft in Air Force Special Operations Command’s inventory. Designed for light attack and reconnaissance missions, it can carry up to 6,000 pounds of weapons and sensors across eight underwing pylons. The turboprop-powered aircraft, derived from the rugged Air Tractor AT-802 crop duster, is built to operate from unpaved airstrips and remote areas.

Officials said the crash remains under investigation, though early reports suggest a possible engine failure. The OA-1K’s tough airframe may have played a key role in protecting the crew, as the aircraft came down largely intact.

The Air Force plans to acquire 75 Skyraider IIs in total, marking the return of a tail-dragging combat aircraft to U.S. service for the first time in decades.