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A refueling aircraft crash in Iraq killed six U.S. service members, including a newly promoted Alabama Air Force major who had been deployed less than a week, according to U.S. officials and family members. U.S. Central Command said the Thursday crash occurred on a combat mission supporting operations against Iran but in “friendly” airspace, and that it was not due to hostile or friendly fire. The military said the crash is under investigation after an unspecified incident involving another aircraft.
The U.S. government identified the Alabama pilot as Alex Klinner, whose brother-in-law, James Harrill, confirmed his death. Harrill said Klinner had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq this week, killing him and five others. Harrill described Klinner as a “really good dad” who “really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” and said Klinner was among three people killed in the crash.
Harrill said Klinner, 33, leaves behind three children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son. Klinner had been promoted to major in January and was deployed less than a week before the crash, Harrill said. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also said the service member was stationed in Birmingham, aligning with the U.S. government’s identification.
The U.S. government also identified other members of the crew assigned to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida as Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky. The U.S. military identified a separate set of four crew members as assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, including Capt. Seth Koval, 38; Capt. Curtis Angst, 30; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, along with one additional service member identified by federal and state officials.
The Ohio National Guard identified Koval, Angst and Simmons from Ohio, and it listed both Angst and Simmons from Columbus, Ohio. The U.S. government listed Koval as being from Mooresville, Indiana, while the Ohio National Guard listed his home as Stoutsville, Ohio. The U.S. government listed Angst as being from Wilmington, Ohio, while the Ohio National Guard identified him as from Columbus, and the service member’s hometown listings differed between the federal and state references.
U.S. Central Command said the crash occurred during a refueling mission and that the other aircraft involved in the incident landed safely, according to U.S. military officials. The command said the crash happened in western Iraq in “friendly” airspace and was “not due to hostile or friendly fire,” while stating that officials have not identified what incident involving the other aircraft led to the crash. It said the aircraft was supporting operations against Iran at the time.
Family and community members described Klinner in the days after the crash. Klinner’s wife, Libby Klinner, posted on Instagram that her heart is broken for their children, writing that they will grow up not knowing their father. She added that they will not get to see “the way he would jump up to help in any way he could” or “the deep love he had for them,” and family members and friends said the service member was close to them.
Klinner was described as an outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, and Harrill said he helped others even around family milestones. Harrill said he last saw Klinner in January when Klinner shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding. Harrill said he helped set up a GoFundMe for Klinner’s family.
Other families offered details of the crew’s roles and the personal impact of the deaths. Simmons was described in an Air Force biography as a boom operator responsible for transferring fuel from the tanker to the receiving aircraft, and his mother, Cheryl Simmons, said she was making funeral plans for him. In a statement obtained by WCMH-TV, Simmons’ family said it was saddened beyond measure and wrote that “Tyler’s smile could light up any room,” adding that the loss has left family and friends “grief stricken.”
The military’s crash investigation also comes as the Air Force relies on aircraft such as the KC-135 tanker. The KC-135 refuels other aircraft midair, allowing them to fly longer distances and sustain operations, and it can also be used to transport wounded personnel and conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts. The Congressional Research Service reported that the Air Force had 376 KC-135s last year, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve, and that the aircraft has been in service for more than 60 years.