Three central Ohio service members are among six crew members who died when a U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft crashed during a mission in the Middle East.
According to the U.S. military, the KC-135 Stratotanker went down Thursday in western Iraq while supporting operations connected to the conflict with Iran. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed that three of the crew members were deployed from the Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing, based at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base just south of Columbus.
The Ohio service members who died in the crash have been identified as:
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Capt. Seth Koval, 38, of Stoutsville in Fairfield County, an aircraft commander with 19 years of service.
Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, of Columbus, a KC-135 pilot with 10 years of service.
Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, a boom operator responsible for in-flight refueling, with eight years of service.
The KC-135 is a refueling aircraft that allows military planes to stay airborne longer by transferring fuel mid-flight. A typical crew includes a pilot, co-pilot, and boom operator, though additional personnel may be on board during extended missions.
U.S. Central Command said the aircraft crashed over “friendly territory” and that the incident was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Another aircraft involved landed safely. Officials say the circumstances surrounding the crash are still under investigation.
For families back home in Ohio, the loss is deeply personal.
In a social media post, Heather Koval, the wife of Capt. Seth Koval, wrote that her family’s world has been “shattered.”
“There is nothing that can prepare you to receive news that you’ve lost the love of your life,” she wrote. “Our family will never be the same.”
She described her husband as someone who loved serving in the Air Force.
“He truly was the most amazing husband, father, son, brother, friend and Airman,” she wrote. “He loved what he did and was proud to put on his uniform and serve others.”
The crash brings the number of U.S. service members killed during the current operation to at least 13, according to the Pentagon.
