FighterSweep Fans, we have an update on an incident we reported last fall. Air Combat Command has released the Accident Investigation Board report in reference to the runway collision between two F-16Cs this past August. Thanks to a one-minute (or less!) response time from resuce personnel at Nellis, the pilot who sustained life-threatening injuries survived.
One pilot’s landing, lack of comprehensive braking and flight path deconfliction, combined with a second pilot’s delayed transition to the correct side of the runway led to the collision of two F-16C aircraft on the Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, runway Aug. 15, 2015, according to an ACC Accident Investigation Board report released today.
The mishap occurred during landing procedures following an orientation flight in association with a large-force exercise held at Nellis AFB.
One pilot sustained life-threatening injuries, but survived. The second pilot in the mishap was uninjured. One aircraft, valued damages at approximately $64M and considered destroyed and the second aircraft sustained approximately $5.4M in damages. Total loss to the U.S. Government is nearly $71M.
Both pilots and aircraft were assigned to the 457th Fighter Squadron, 301st FighterWing, Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas.
Two F-16Cs from the 457th Fighter Squadron, 301st Fighter Wing collided last August 15. According to ACC, the incident occurred due to pilot error. (Photo by Jason Hyatt)