Lockheed C130 accident near Cooma, Au, January 23, 2020
On January 23, 2020 at about 2:15 am local time, a 1981 Lockheed C130, registered N134CG, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Cooma. It was a firefighting flight under non-U.S. private rules. 3 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2020 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Cooma, Australia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Lockheed C130, built 1981 · all C130s on the register
- Registration
- N134CG · no longer on the register · serial 382-4904
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · non-U.S. private rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
- Operator: Coulson Aviation USA
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.