F-16 Accidents & Mishaps for the United States Air Force

F-16 Aircraft Database

F-16 Accidents & Mishaps for the United States Air Force




Found 451 aircraft, displaying 271-279 [Sorted by Date]
Date Status Local S/N Aircraft AF/Unit Version Info Details
21 Jan 1991 [w/o] 87224 87-0224 USAF 614 TFS F-16C Block 30F Details
An Mk. 84 bomb exploded as it left the aircraft on a strike mission over Kuwait. Pilot, Colonel John Ball, was able to fly the aircraft over water before ejecting. The US Navy rescued John out of the Persian Gulf water. John Ball was the 614th Director of Operations.
19 Jan 1991 [w/o] 87228 87-0228 USAF 614 TFS F-16C Block 30F Details
Shot down in Desert Storm from an SA-6. Combat loss number 10 in Desert Storm. The pilot, Captain Harry 'Mike' Roberts, ejected safely, but was taken prisoner. Aircraft was on a mission to attack the Air Defense Headquarters Building in Baghdad. Aircraft had flown 4 combat missions before being lost.
17 Nov 1999 [w/o] 87240 87-0240 USAF 170 FS F-16C Block 30F Details
Collided with F-16C (86-0263), near the town of Vermont, Illinois about eighty kilometres north of their base. One pilot landed the aircraft while the other was forced to eject. Cause is believed to have been from one of the pilots losing situational awareness. The mishap occurred as the upgrading pilot performed an air-to-air intercept on the instructor who was acting as a target and flying slow speed with lights out. A high to low intercept was flown by the upgrading pilot and he did not achieve sufficient lateral displacement for his Vc (overtaking velocity). He rolled out behind the target at 500 feet and 180 knots of overtake. An evasive maneuver was initiated at 200 feet and less than 1 second prior to impact. The right wing impacted and severed the target aircraft's left horizontal tail and severely damaged the corresponding hydraulic integrated servoacuator. The aircraft then experienced total hydraulic failure and went out of control. The instructor pilot ejected safely and the upgrading pilot flew his damaged aircraft to base.
07 Jun 2011 [w/o] 87242 87-0242 USAF 176 FS F-16C Block 30F News Article Details
Crashed into an unoccupied vacation home in the town of New Chester around 13:20h local time. Was one of two fighter jets which had taken off from Truax Field in Madison for a routine training mission in the vicinity of Volk Field. Pilot ejected safely.
02 Mar 2005 [i/a] 87243 87-0243 USAF 188 FS F-16C Block 30F Details
Left main tire blew after rotation during a take off from Alburquerque, New Mexico. Damage also was sustained when debris made a hole in the lower finger brace panel which is important to the the structure. It is thought to be repairable, but unknown if the wing will need to be replaced.
19 Dec 1989 [i/a] 87251 87-0251 USAF 36 TFS F-16C Block 30F Details
Belly landed but stayed on the runway. Pilot did not eject. Aircraft carried wing commanders markings. Minor repairs were made but the aircraft never flew again and went to Sheppard AFB, Texas. Cause of the mishap happened as follows. The centerline tank was installed prior to flight. Leak and transfer check where good, but the pilot did not close the IFR door. The pilot noticed fuel not transferring and punched off the full centerline tank. The F-16 came into view for landing powered by the EPU only and kept the gear up. When the aircraft touched down bright colored flames came from under the aircraft as it slid to a stop, but it did not catch fire.
19 Jan 1991 [w/o] 87257 87-0257 USAF 614 TFS F-16C Block 30F Details
Pilot, Major Jeffrey Scott Tice ejected safely after travelling 150 miles inside Iraq, but became a POW as the ejection took place over Iraq. It was the 8th combat loss and the first daylight raid over Baghdad. The aircraft was struck by an SA-3 just south of Baghdad. Aircraft 86-0225 was brought in to replace this lost aircraft. Major Tice's aircraft aborted and 87-0257 was the spare for that day. Wreckage was later found by the US Marines who contacted the squadron to see what they wanted done with the aircraft as the aircraft was largely intact. Order was give to destroy the aircraft. Location of the crash site was in a section of Iraq that the US Marines had occupied. Most reports have the two losses of F-16's from this squadron switched on this date. Flew 4 missions before being written off.
18 May 1993 [w/o] 87269 87-0269 USAF 414 CTS F-16C Block 32F Details
Written-off at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Pilots fate is unknown. The aircraft wore the blue Su-27 scheme.
26 Jan 1994 [w/o] 87270 87-0270 USAF 480 FS F-16C Block 30H Details
Collided with F-16D (87-0389) at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio on the runway after taking FOD during takeoff. Aircraft was deemed repairable, but so far has not. As they were taking off, 87-0389 was ahead of 87-0270 and was in the air first with 87-0270 following right behind. At about 50 Ft. off the runway 87-0389's lower portion of the forward landing gear and nose wheel fell from the aircraft. This falling assembly travelled behind and struck 87-0270 in the conopy at about 25 Ft off the deck. The impact startled the pilot and he without hesitation ejected from the F-16. 87-0270 descended and smack down on the runway. Sliding several 100 ft eventually coming off the runway. Before coming to rest within 50 ft of the perimeter fence. The runway and grass tore up the belly of 87-0270 pretty good, dispersing considerable debris in it's wake as it slid. The pilot of 87-0389 was unaware of the incident until notified by the tower. The controllers had 87-0389 do a slow fly-by to inspect the aircraft and informed the pilot of the loss of the nose gear. The pilot eventually made a very skillfull nose down landing. He came in nice and slow eventually letting the lack of speed and lift lower the nose down on the runway.

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Abbreviations and symbols:
[act] Active [msh] Involved in Mishap [w/o] Write-off
[cld] Cancelled Order [o/o] On Order
[des] Destroyed (drone) [pre] Preserved (museum, gateguard) T/V LM Aero Type/Version (Construction) number
[emb] Embargoed [scr] Scrapped Photo Available
[i/a] Instructional Airframe [sto] Stored (e.g. at AMARG)



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