In 1998, President Bill Clinton's Air Force One, SAM 27000, got stuck in mud at Willard Airport in Champaign, Illinois. The right wheel of the Boeing 707 had "nicked the corner" of the tarmac while taxiing. After initial attempts to free the plane were unsuccessful, a backup Air Force One, SAM 26000, was dispatched to pick up President Clinton. The stranded plane was eventually freed, but not before the airport was temporarily closed and some passengers left the plane. The incident became a news sensation, with media crews, including CNN and Fox News, gathering to cover the event.
SAM 26000 was parked at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Peru, Indiana to serve as a backup and was quickly dispatched to Willar Airport from there. Clinton continued on his journey to La Crosse, Wisconsin, for an event and then to Washington, D.C.