F-16 Aircraft Database

The aircraft crash landed on Rogers dry lake bed at Edwards AFB due to a blown nose gear tire on take off during the annual open house air show. It was shipped to General Dynamics Fort Worth in a C-5 and rebuilt into the first F-16XL, flying back to Edwards one year later on December 2nd, 1981. The pilot survived unharmed but very shaken.

From F-16A to F-16XL/B
One of the original F-16A Full-Scale Development aircraft. The aircraft crash landed on Rogers dry lake bed at Edwards AFB due to a blown nose gear tire on take off during the annual open house air show. The pilot survived unharmed but very shaken. It was shipped to General Dynamics Fort Worth in a C-5 and rebuilt into the first cranked-arrow F-16XL, flying back to Edwards one year later on December 2nd, 1981. It was later converted into a dual-seat F-16XL/B. First flight in its new configuration was on October 29th, 1982.

Completed 361 test flights with the USAF

Stored with General Dynamics at Fort Worth, Texas.

NASA leased the aircraft directly from General Dynamics.

Reserialed N848 NA, but carried the code 848 on the tail. At one point it was briefly numbered 846.

At NASA Dryden.

Permanently retired and pending preservation at the National Museum of the Air Force.