Hickam Air Force Base commander Col. William J. Changose has grounded himself from flying while an investigation is conducted into a midair collision last week between a C-17 cargo jet he was piloting and a KC-135R refueling tanker, a spokesman said.

Both planes landed safely. Maj. Paul Wright, chief of public affairs for the 15th Airlift Wing, called the incident "minor," and said Changose could have kept flying.

"He basically said he'll just wait and then just start flying again once the investigation has been concluded," Wright said.

Eight C-17 Globemaster III cargo carriers are being based in Hawai'i, and Changose and Brig. Gen. Peter S. Pawling, commander of the 154th Wing of the Hawai'i Air National Guard, are scheduled to pilot the first of the $200 million aircraft into Hickam on Feb. 8.

An internal safety board investigation has begun. Air Force investigators from outside Hawai'i may arrive next week, and the examination of what happened could take 30 days.

Changose, who said he was conducting C-17 flight instructor re-qualification when the Dec. 22 accident occurred, still is expected to fly the first aircraft in on Feb. 8.

"He is a current pilot," Wright said. "He's just not an instructor pilot."

Changose, the 15th Airlift Wing commander at Hickam, said he is seeking flight instructor re-qualification to be a better leader.

"Leading from the front is important," Changose said, "but also, it just makes it safer when General Pawling and I bring the plane in."

Changose said there likely will be enough time after the safety board concludes to receive flight instructor certification.

The incident took place about 200 miles off O'ahu at about 10:30 p.m. during nighttime midair refueling training with a Hawai'i Air National Guard KC-135R, officials said. The Air Guard and active-duty Air Force will fly and maintain the C-17s in a first-of-its-kind partnership.

The refueling tanker received "minor" structural damage to its tail and refueling boom, said National Guard spokesman Maj. Chuck Anthony. The extent of the damage to the C-17 was not available, but officials said it was flying again within a couple of days.

Officials from both commands downplayed the incident, which included a momentary dive by the tanker.

There were some bumps and bruises among the Air Guard crew, but no decompression in the cabin, and no one required hospitalization, Anthony had said.

Wright previously said he could not positively say whether the two aircraft fuselages made contact, and that would be the determination of the safety board.

The C-17 was flown to Hawai'i from Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma for training and is expected to return on Jan. 2.

Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.