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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 286-294 [Sorted by Date]
Date Status Local S/N Aircraft AF/Unit Version Info Details
09 Sep 2002 [w/o] 87316 87-0316 USAF 522 FS F-16C Block 30J News Article Details
Crashed killing pilot Captain Benton Zettel. Aircraft was lost 50 miles west of Cannon AFB, New Mexico.
14 Sep 2003 [w/o] 87327 87-0327 USAF USAF ADS F-16C Block 32J News Article Details
Crashed during a demonstration at Mountain Home AB, Idaho. The pilot, Capt. Chris Stricklin, misjudged the altitude required to perform a split-S manoeuvre and started the pull down at only 1,670ft (510m) instead of the required 2,500ft (760m). The error most likely resulted from using an incorrect airfield altitude. Capt. Stricklin ejected only 8/10 of a second, at an altitude of 140ft (42m), before impact. The aircraft brought in to replace it was 86-0281.
21 Mar 2001 [w/o] 87330 87-0330 USAF 522 FS F-16C Block 30J News Article Details
Engine failed over Melrose Bombing Range. Captain Dawn Hokaj ejected with only minor injuries around 20 miles west of Clovis, New Mexico. The no. 3 bearing in the engine broke apart causing the engine failure. Failure of the no. 3 bearing was a known problem with those engines
27 Jul 1993 [w/o] 87335 87-0335 USAF 35 FS F-16C Block 30J Details
Was preparing for take off when F-16C (86-0275) landed on top of it. One of the pilots, Lt. Col. Ralph Earl "Bark" Gardner who had just arrived at Kunsan AB, Korea from MacDill AFB was killed. The 56th FW which was closing down had just enough aircraft to fly for his memorial.
28 Jun 2005 [w/o] 87337 87-0337 USAF 120 FS F-16C Block 30J News Article Details
The pilot tried to land the plane at Lamar Airport after some fire warnings went off in the cockpit. When the pilot, Julian Clay, realized he wouldn't be able to stop before hitting the end of the runway, he ejected, only suffering minor injuries. After the ejection the plane ran off the runway and split in two. This was the second ejection of this pilot, already ejecting from #86-0325.
15 Jan 2008 [w/o] 87347 87-0347 USAF 93 FS F-16C Block 30J News Article Details
The aircraft crashed into the Gulf of Mexico west of Key West at about 19:30 hours local. The pilot, Major Peter S. Smith, ejected from the aircraft and was picked up by a Navy helicopter. The cause of the accident was spatial disorientation.
21 Jun 2000 [w/o] 87357 87-0357 USAF 421 FS F-16C Block 40A News Article Details
Lost due to a bird strike over the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada. The pilot, Captain Richard Pietrykowski, ejected with injuries to his face, a 417 Squadron CH-146 '415' picked him up. A Pelican hit the canopy creating a large hole which is what injured the pilot. This aircraft was participating in an exercise. The largest piece that was left was the gun fairing. The rest of the F-16 was underground in the muskeg (unfrozen tundra). The only access to the crash site was via helicopter. The ejection seat had bird guts all over it and a hole where a bear had bitten through the seat while licking off the guts. The canopy had pieces with feathers actually sticking out of it. In detail the pilot was messed up with air bubbles in his skin which resulted in temporary blindness and hearing loss. The F-16 impacted a pelican at 2,000 AGL at about 700 knots. This clipped the helmet straps off and destroyed the HUD & glareshields. The pilot ejected almost immediately with no time to slow down. Probably larger pieces of the aircraft will surface as the years go by and the ground freezes and thaws.
15 Mar 1989 [w/o] 87363 87-0363 USAF 62 TFTS F-16D Block 30F Details
Lost at MacDill AFB, Florida. Crashed after a hard landing during a so-called simulated flameout approach (SFO). The aircraft hit the runway so hard that both main gear were ripped out. The aircrew got airborne again and it was decided to attempt an arrestor hook engagement. The aircraft missed the wire on the first attempt and set fire to the grass at that end of the runway. Emergency crews quickly put out the fire. During the second attempt it ran out of hydraulic fluid and the aircraft pitched up forcing the crew to eject. Aircraft then stalled and nosed over ending up off to the side of the end of the runway.
15 Oct 1989 [w/o] 87369 87-0369 USAF 302 TFS F-16D Block 32F Details
Crashed at Carswell AFB, Texas while doing a mock airfield attack. Three B-52's on the ground were slightly damaged. Both crew were killed. The front seat pilot was Captain Rob 'Pork' Tucker. The pilot in the back seat of the plane, Captain J. Bourne, was a pilot from VMFA-112. He was on an incentive flight, his first time to fly in a F-16. After doing a low pass over the runway at 350 to 400 knots, they did a 90 degree bank. This in turn was a very high "G" maneuver in which they slammed into the ground . The investigation determined G-lock. The plane disintegrated on impact between the runway and taxiway.

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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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