F-16 Aircraft Database

Impacted the ground near Bobby Chain Airport in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Pilot, Major Charles Toplikar, ejected safely with minor injuries. The primary cause of the accident was the failure of the high-pressure turbine post, allowing the HPT blades to break free and damage the engine. Unit had just passed 50000 hours mishap free when this happened.

Damage done to fuel pipes during maintenance has caused this aircraft to crash at Nakdong firing range, near Sangju. Both pilots escaped safely.

Starboard main gear tension bar failed after being loaded with fuel and weapons at Decimomannu. The aircraft was parked and chocked at the time. It was marked '16 AF' and was on detachment at the time. Cause was a corrosion on landing gear.

Destroyed in a mid-air collision with F-16C (#89-2111). Capt. David Rosmann, ejected safely. The mishap was caused by the failure of both pilots to properly deconflict their flight paths during a tactical turn. Other contributing factors included: loss of situational awareness, misinterpretation of closure and visual cues, task misprioritization and channelization, and expectancy.

Destroyed in a mid-air collision with F-16C (89-2006). First Lieutenant, Jorma D. Huhtala, was killed in the mid-air. The mishap was caused by the failure of both pilots to properly deconflict their flight paths during a tactical turn. Other contributing factors included: loss of situational awareness, misinterpretation of closure and visual cues, task misprioritization and channelization, and expectancy.

While flying over Utah salt flats, pilot was not aware of how close he was to the ground as there was a layer of very calm water, which made a mirror like image making it difficult to judge distance to the ground. Pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Dillon McFarland, was killed.

Arizona ANG almost lost a two seater on this day when it belly landed at Tucson IAP on its centerline tank which caught fire but did not burn the aircraft. This aircraft was repaired and put back into service. Damage was mostly done to the centerline tank, left stab and a missile. The pilots, Lt. Col. Kent Dukes and Italian backseater, Capt. Salvatore Trincone, were uninjured.

The main gear collapsed during landing at Ganci AB, Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Both tension struts tore free from the FS341 bulkhead following a very hard landing. The aircraft is being repaired at Kjeller depot where the lower FS341 bulkhead is being replaced, similar to Falcon Up. The hard landing was caused by the fact that during landing in a two-ship formation one wing came into the turbulence from the lead. This caused the wing to loose lift and to compensate the pilot gave roll input the other way, with the result that the flaperon on the wing which was not in the turbulence went up, causing loss of control.

Mid-air collission with F-16C (89-2072). Both aircraft and their pilots returned safely to Hill AB. There was $ 1.7 million worth of damage to both aircraft.

Mid-air collission with F-16C (88-0457). Both aircraft and their pilots returned safely to Hill AB. There was $ 1.7 million worth of damage to both aircraft.

Overshot the runway at Bagram, Afghanistan and ended up in a minefield. The pilot, American exchange pilot, Captain Bill 'Hap' Arnold, ejected safely and the aircraft had nose gear torn off. A US Army CH-47D recovered the F-16 back to its Afghan base. A Royal Danish C-130H carried the disassembled parts back home for repairs.