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Low flying planes have citizens asking questions

Low-flying aircraft have also been reported in Hardyville. Still shot from a video by Katrina England.

Mary Beth Sallee

Reporter, Hart Co. News-Herald

 

Low-flying military aircraft have rattled Hart County residents over the past few weeks as many have reported seeing planes maneuver at extremely low levels.

The aircraft have been spotted over Priceville, Munfordville, Canmer, Hardyville, the communities of Monroe and Pascal, and other areas, reportedly roaring over houses and skimming over treetops. Some residents even expressed fears of an imminent crash.

On July 6, farmers in the Canmer area were in a field and described hearing a loud roar coming through the trees around them. They looked up to see three planes with the first one flying low enough that the farmers believed the plane was crashing. One farmer ran for cover and the other said the first plane was flying low enough that he could see its rivets.

On July 15, Stephen Ratliff was working in his garden at his farm on Raider Hollow Road in Munfordville when he saw a low-flying plane overhead.

“(It was) rather unnerving,” Ratliff said. “First thought was it (the plane) was going down. Then I realized there was two more.”

Ratliff described the planes as being “military in appearance” but with no outstanding markings.

That same day, Tracy Keen saw aircraft as well. Keen wrote on a Facebook post that she was at her parents’ home on Hwy. 357 when two planes flew over as she was leaving.

“I seriously thought the first one was gonna crash into the neighbor’s trees,” Keen said. “It was so low. They were heading north.”

Some have described the planes as possibly being C-130 or C-5 military aircraft. Others described the planes as being solid gray in color with no markings anywhere.

Stephen Ratliff reported seeing low flying aircraft passing over his farm in Munfordville. Photo by Stephen Ratliff.

The Hart County News-Herald reached out to military stations within the Commonwealth to receive possible reasoning behind the low-flying aircraft.

Benjamin Crane, Air and Army Public Relations with the Army National Guard stated that their branch trains with others in the Louisville area, nowhere near the Hart County area. Also, they typically train using Black Hawk helicopters, not airplanes.

“Traditionally, we get a lot of these complaints based on the training we do in the Frankfort area,” Crane said. “We do fly from here to Greenville, though, so there is potential for our helicopters to be in that area. Now, obviously, we aren’t going to talk about where we do the training and what not, and I’m not one to speak on it…I’m not in aviation. I don’t have anything to do with where helicopters are going.”

“If there’s no markings, it’s definitely not Kentucky National Guard,” Crane added. “Our Air National Guard aircraft is splashed with Kentucky all over the back tail…If it flew that close, they should be able to read all the markings of our National Guard planes…Fort Campbell may have their own aircraft doing their own thing. They’ve got the 101st Airborne there, but they’re mostly air assault, which is all helicopters as well. I couldn’t tell you what a C-130 unmarked airplane would be doing in the skies, especially flying that low, which is a little disturbing.”

Lt. Colonel Stephen Martin, Director of Aviation for the Kentucky Army National Guard, stated that he would venture to say that the planes which Hart County residents are seeing are originating out of Fort Knox.

“In the Kentucky National Guard, we only have helicopters, Black Hawks, that would even be flying in that vicinity, would be Army Reserves,” Martin said. “…Especially being so close to Mammoth Cave, I’m kind of surprised – especially whatever low lying route that they’re flying, that they’re doing – to my mind it’s not Kentucky National Guard related.”

“We also have to be good stewards and good neighbors,” Martin continued. We take pride in flying neighborly and trying to be considerate. Anybody out there disparaging our military name in Kentucky, we take personally.”

According to Kelly Appelman with the Fort Knox Public Affairs Office, she spoke with the Fort Knox Air Field Operations Officer who stated that there were no C-5s or C-130s out of Fort Knox in the Hart County area.

“The C-5s, they come out of California or South Carolina,” Appelman said. “And we haven’t had any C-130s around here, and there’s no unit on post that have either of those aircraft. We just have helicopters here on post.”

This photo shows one of two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft that arrived at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville on November 6, 2021. Photo: National Guard Website.

Air Force Master Sgt. Phil Speck out of Louisville was also contacted.

“The C-130s that we have, the C-130Js, they have the four engines with propellers, so if it’s those, then those are more likely our aircraft,” Speck said. “If it’s that low, then they should be able to see the markings on the tail. There’s a blue stripe. I’m not saying so low they can read the letters, but it’ll say Kentucky.”

“I can assure you they were flying at a safe altitude,” Speck added. “They are very big aircraft, and if they do fly at a lower altitude, they do appear a lot closer than they actually are. I do know that our pilots maintain a minimum altitude, a safe altitude…I assure you, all of our pilots are highly trained, and we have very strict safety standards. They wouldn’t be flying where it’s dangerous.”

Fort Campbell responded to the Hart County News-Herald via email.

“We have forwarded this on to look into if this is in relation to training from any Fort Campbell units,” Ms. Nondice L. Thurman, Media Relations Officer for the Fort Campbell Public Affairs Office, wrote.

Thurman also stated that individuals can visit the Fort Campbell website at https://home.army.mil/campbell/index.php/about/Garrison/public-affairs/community-relations/noise-complaints for a form to fill out regarding noise and public disturbance complaints individuals think may be related to Fort Campbell.

The Hart County News-Herald will share additional information as it is received.

The Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville began receiving new C-130J Super Hercules aircraft in November of 2021. Photo: National Guard Website.

15 Comments

  1. Nicole Robertson on July 22, 2022 at 6:09 pm

    So why have several of us seen them flying as if they’re going to crash? What are they doing in areas where don’t normally see them, especially when shouldn’t be flying in the area..It doesn’t make no sense,plus if they’re being trained to fly or whatever in whenever parts of the state then that’s where they should stay at not around other areas where it’s going to freak people out! If something is going to happen then they ought to let the community know about it first otherwise don’t be doing anything like been flying too low where it looks as if the planes are gonna crash! Duhh good grief

    • Editor on July 28, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      Those are all good questions. Thank you.

    • Aw on August 17, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      They are northeastern ky/ wv area too. Flying very low.

      • Mel1311 on September 14, 2022 at 10:08 pm

        We have been seeing this around the Grayson /Edmonson County line the past few days as well! Very large , light gray or white airplane (s) at least once or twice a day. We are curious as to what it is all about as well. Any updates would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

        • Angela on November 9, 2022 at 2:28 am

          Mel1311 have you had any replies?

  2. Sally Greene on November 2, 2022 at 7:14 pm

    This is happening now, Oct-Nov, in North Carolina, rural areas near the Virginia line. Any follow up done? I’d love to know why. Grew up near Oceana, but this is highly unusual here.

  3. Kay garrison on November 3, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    I came across these posts while searching for “who to contact regarding “increasing number of low flying, very loud, military jets”? I just wanted to let you know, apparently it isn’t an isolated occurrence or complaint. Where I live, in Washington state, canyon walls block the view of the jets, but animals and people alike have been disturbed by their excessive noise.

  4. Stephen Ryan on December 30, 2022 at 1:47 am

    4 reasons why military planes drop flares. Reason #1: to illuminate. Reason #2: to signal. Reason #3: to mislead targeting systems. Reason #4: for air shows & similar displays.

  5. Elizabeth Spence on February 8, 2023 at 1:54 pm

    Today is January 8, 2023 and around 1pm or so….I was alarmed to see very very low flying military airplane ehich was so huge and low I kept watching as I thought it was surely going to crash…my house vibrated as is passing in the foreground right over trees. Now military helicopters…oh my what a scary thing to see! I even looked at my phone and turned off the TV to check for emergency info?

  6. Elizabeth Spence on February 8, 2023 at 2:01 pm

    Today is January 8, 2023 and around 1pm or so….I was alarmed to see very very low flying military airplane ehich was so huge and very low.. surely going to crash

  7. Eilidh on February 14, 2023 at 11:36 pm

    Feb 14, 2023, in Edmonson County a huge gray military-like plane (the closest I could find in resemblance is the c-5)with no markings, that I could see, crossed over the road in front of my car. It was very low to the ground, I thought it was crashing. It flew out of sight just over the treetops.

  8. Anonymous on April 20, 2023 at 9:19 pm

    Conspiracy theory- the government wants maps of farmland, who’s actively farming, mini farms, livestock, gardening, water resources such as lakes, streams, springs ect, why else would there not be an explanation for the low flying military planes in rural areas?

  9. Mrs M on August 1, 2023 at 4:29 pm

    Last week of July, black helicoptor went back and forth, between a small south central MO town towards the Scenic Riverways”. It was low flying/did this approx 8 times (north to south)?

    Today, low flying jet with odd rectangle shape on tail (between tail & main wing), flew quite low again over head from east to west??? 🤔🤔🤔🤔

    This has NEVER been the norm.

  10. Eden on August 2, 2023 at 1:11 pm

    In SE Wis. Wed. Aug 2’23.Just saw a low flying what I thought was large passenger jet. My first thought was that it was low on fuel looking for place to land.
    I turned on police scanner but nothing there.
    Then did search online to find this. It said there wd be low plane over Chicago area Tues. (Yesterday) and that it was NASA doing ozone or air quality tests?
    Or it cd also be China spies. God only knows. News won’t tell truth, neither internet.
    Enjoy life while you can everyone & make sure you are right with Almighty God.

  11. Kate on October 10, 2023 at 12:01 pm

    Low flying plane the Waynesville/Asheville area of North Carolina. It was so loud I thought it was flying into my home.

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