---
title: "A C-17 Did A Low Pass Over Nashville And Scared The Absolute Hell Out Of Everyone"
description: "Turns out the aircraft was on a scheduled training flight ahead of the governor-elect's inauguration."
date: "2019-01-19"
modified: "2019-01-19"
authors:
  - name: "James Clark"
    job_title: "Editor-in-Chief"
    link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/james-clark.md"
url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/tech-tactics/nashville-c-17-flyover/"
categories:
  - "Air Force"
  - "Aircraft"
  - "Around the World"
  - "Military Branches"
  - "News"
  - "Tech & Tactics"
  - "United States"
tags:
  - "Northern Command"
---

# A C-17 Did A Low Pass Over Nashville And Scared The Absolute Hell Out Of Everyone

![](<https://taskandpurpose.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/19101537-1.png>)

A low-flying C-17 gave Nashville residents a fright on Friday when the aircraft made several unannounced passes over the city's bustling downtown.

For roughly half an hour the plane zipped over buildings scaring the dogshit out of residents in the process, many of whom took to social media, and in some cases picked up the phone and called the cops, to find out what the hell was going on, [reports](<https://www.thisisinsider.com/nashville-plane-governor-inauguration-2019-1>) INSIDER.

https://twitter.com/TobyLemley/status/1086344784598519808

It turns out the flyover was a scheduled training exercise for Tennessee Governor-elect Bill Lee's inauguration today. There's just one problem: Nobody ever got the word, [though they eventually figured it out](<https://twitter.com/CivMilAir/status/1086344482239459328>).

Add to it that the whole thing is a bit irrelevant now because the flyover [was canceled due to weather.](<https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2019/01/18/nashville-low-flying-c-17-plane-over-downtown/2617150002/>)

https://twitter.com/RobertBryan4/status/1086352467967774720

In a number of videos posted on Twitter, spectators can be heard cursing, gasping, and worrying that the aircraft — [which boasts a 170-foot wingspan](<https://www.boeing.com/defense/c-17-globemaster-iii/#/facts>) — might clip the side of a building.

https://twitter.com/matt_norris12/status/1086343620062560257

Fortunately, no accident occurred, though the aircraft [reportedly](<https://www.thisisinsider.com/nashville-plane-governor-inauguration-2019-1>) came so close to some buildings that they shook.

Here's a dramatic, and totally not accurate reenactment of what that may have looked like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdHBsWXaHN8

Top Gun (4/8) Movie CLIP - Buzzing the Tower (1986) HD

[www.youtube.com](<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdHBsWXaHN8>)

### SEE ALSO: We Salute The National Guard Lieutenant Who Led Virginia Police On A High-Speed Chase In A Stolen M577

### WATCH NEXT: Nic Cage Fire Birds Review

## Author
James Clark is the editor-in-chief of Task & Purpose. He is a Marine veteran and former combat correspondent. He deployed twice to Afghanistan with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, first to Marjah in 2010, and then to Kajaki and Sangin in 2011.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/JamesWClark>)  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/jclarkjournalism/>)

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