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Birds, error caused U.S. Air Force crash
January 29, 1998 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
Air Force investigators reported on Thursday that birds and pilot error were responsible for a collision of two military jets over California last year that killed two people.
The pilot of an F-16 fighter maneuvered sharply to avoid the birds, and his plane crashed into an AT-38B trainer jet on Oct. 22.
The trainer was destroyed and both crewmen died, but the F-16 landed safely with two crewmembers on the desert at Edwards Air Force Base. Part of its wingtip had been sheared off. An investigation report released by the service on Thursday concluded that Lt. Col. Richard Stevens, the pilot of the F-16, saw birds in his flight path and made a "reactive, evasive" maneuver that caused him to crash into the other plane.
The report added that the veteran F-16 pilot was not aware of the relative position of the other aircraft when he started his avoidance maneuver.
The trainer was destroyed and both crewmen died, but the F-16 landed safely with two crewmembers on the desert at Edwards Air Force Base. Part of its wingtip had been sheared off. An investigation report released by the service on Thursday concluded that Lt. Col. Richard Stevens, the pilot of the F-16, saw birds in his flight path and made a "reactive, evasive" maneuver that caused him to crash into the other plane.
The report added that the veteran F-16 pilot was not aware of the relative position of the other aircraft when he started his avoidance maneuver.
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