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F-16 Fighting Falcon News

Pilot error blamed in collision of F-16s off N.J.

February 9, 1998 (by Lieven Dewitte) - An Air Force investigation report released Tuesday blamed pilot error for the midair collision of two New Jersey Air National Guard F-16 fighter jets off the Atlantic coast last September.
The report said all three pilots aboard the two jets were responsible for the accident. One aircraft was lost at a cost of $16. 3 million, while they other sustained $1.15 million in damage. The two pilots whose plane crashed into the ocean and was lost had to be rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard.

The two jets, a single-pilot F-16C and an F-16D two-seater, were trying to rendezvous just after takeoff before heading to Whiskey-107, an ocean training area 40 miles from Atlantic City, New Jersey. Both planes were flying without strobe or flashing lights. The two pilots in the trailing aircraft lost track of their position after adjusting their night-vision goggles and believed the other aircraft was miles ahead. However, it was not, and the first indication they had was when this thing appeared in the canopy. Fractions of a second later, they struck.

The two pilots in the F-16D ejected safely into the Atlantic and were rescued, while the pilot of the other plane reached Atlantic City International Airport with a damaged left wing, left horizontal stabilizer, fuselage, canopy and engine. "Contributing to the accident was lack of communication between the pilots of both aircraft, along with the distraction associated with the donning of night-vision goggles, " a Guard statement said.

Maj. John Barton, the front-seat pilot of the F-16D, and Capt. Scott Mulgrew, the pilot of the other plane, were removed from flying status after the accident and remained grounded. Maj. Thomas Bartel, the rear-seat instructor pilot on the F-16D, remained on full flight status, a Guard spokesman said.