F-16 Aircraft Database

Destroyed in a crash at Mørsvikfjord, Norway. The pilot, Vincent Skjøstad, didn't survive the crash. He entered an unrecoverable dive after he came semi inverted over a ridge line and tried to avoid hitting a flock of sea gulls. This brought him into a steep dive which he was unable to pull out from. The flight recorder recorded a full nose up command from the time he rolled upright and until he impacted the water. They found multiple impact marks and remains of sea gulls on the fuselage. They recovered most of the wreckeage from the bottom of the sea. The cockpit area was suprisingly intact compared to the rest of the aircraft, and the seat was still left in the cockpit. However, the top of the seat was missing along with the parachute (probably released upon impact). The parachute has probably blossomed under the surface dragging the body with it. The harness holding him in place in the seat, was torn off from the impact force. They found one of his boots, one glove and his helmet on the ocean floor. But the man himself and the parachute was never found.