An investigation into a July 2025 KC-46A aerial-refueling incident concludes that errors during the boom operation and communication contributed to the mishap. According to reporting from Air Force Times and Military Times, the KC-46A suffered damage related to an emergency landing and refueling boom during the event. Both outlets report that investigators determined the primary cause is the operator’s incorrect control inputs, which affected how the boom behaved during the refueling attempt. Military Times also notes the involvement of an F-22 pilot error as a contributing factor, alongside the operator’s mistakes. The findings indicate that the combination of control inputs from the KC-46A boom operator and actions or errors by the receiving aircraft’s F-22 pilot helped create conditions that led to the damaged boom and the subsequent emergency landing. The accounts emphasize that the investigation assigns responsibility to human factors rather than equipment failure, focusing on how errors occurred during the refueling maneuver.