F-16 Aircraft Database

During approach to Skrydstrup AB the gear indicators showed "unsafe". The pilot, 2nd lieutenant P. Bergstrøm, passed the ATC tower and got a reply that the gear looked normal. A chase pilot also inspected the gear and found nothing wrong. The pilot elected "gear up", lowered them again and he got 3 green lights in the cockpit. After touch down the right main landing gear collapsed. As the pilot realized he was unable to keep the F-16 on the runway, he elected to use the ejectionseat, which went all right. The cause of the gear collapse was corrosion in a actuator in the right gear. This aircraft has the honour of being the first RDAF aircraft from which the pilot used the ejection seat that survived and went back to service. 2nd lieutenant P. Bergstrøm landed hard on the runway and was dragged about 100 yards down the runway before he managed to cut loose. The Air Base fire department tried to stop the engine, which was still running, by blowing foam into the air intake. This had no effect, and a fireman then crawled over the wing and cut off the engine. When the engine's RPM parsed 40% the Emergency Power Unit started and the engine was now running on hydrazine until a pilot arrived and shot down the EPU.

Crashed near Ålebæk Bugt, south of Skagen, Denmark. Engine failure caused this crash with the pilot, Lieutenant Per Barner Petersen, ejecting safely.