Forum: Air Force Life

This is a true story that happened on Feb 27th 1991, during the Gulf War. At the time, I was assigned to Hahn AB and we were deployed with the 10th AMU to UAE and working along-side Shaw AFB at the deployed location. I'm telling this story because it's amazing to think how a screwdriver almost changed written history and lots of lives even though we never would have known. As an avionics 7 level, I was tasked to repair a code 3 F-16 with Inertial Navigation failure on a jet that had just landed and was being quick turned for another combat sortie. I grabbed tools, TO's, and a replacement Inertial Navigation Unit and hit the ramp with one of our 5 levels. We replaced the part and the pilot cranked for his sortie and performed the ops check while I cleared the forms. With a tanker to meet, launch timing was critical and everything checked out good for the INS. While not the best scenario, I completed the tool inventory as the jet taxiied for takeoff. As is the norm, every jet that could fly was being utilized and clearing the forms and the super's ER (exceptional release) had to be done first. My 5 level should have inventoried the tools immediately, but left it to me while running the bad part into the shop. Needless to say, a screwdriver was missing. It had been there when we started and we never used it, but there I was. As I started to let the pro super know to recall the jet, my 5 level showed up with the tool in hand and we were good to go. Whew!

Now for the rest of the story.

The jet was 84-1390 and Captain Bill Andrews was shot down on that sortie over Iraq. He was captured and became a POW and was later released. A SAR rescue chopper was also shot down and 5 of it's brave crew members were also lost during the rescue attempt. The Army later sent in a demolition crew to blow up the remains of the jet and they later returned the aircraft forms and tail hook to us. The forms were a melted ball, but we were able to open them up enough to see my name where I cleared the writeup for the INS job. Hindsight is 20/20, but wow!...Just something to think about...Keep em Flying!!!

You can read the pilot's side of this at:

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives ... 2a_92.html

http://www.codeonemagazine.com/archives ... 2a_92.html

F-16.net Sponsor

Fate is a strange and cruel mistress indeed and probably nothing you would have done diff. would have helped. If you had grounded the jet perhaps another would have done the mission, still been shot down and maybe the pilot would have died. If you had delayed the launch then ok'd it perhaps he would have been later to the target and been hit more catastrophically and died. Who knows? If some other F-16 had been recalled at some other time it might have been the sortie that was supposed to kill a big boss and the war might have been a week longer and more coalition forces would have died.

That was a great read. I am amazed on the treatment by the Iraqi's.

Good story. Not to poke holes in it but, why would the forms be on the acft?

Well, in our case, the jets had the forms placed in the pylons because they were prone to diverting or in some cases, we launched from UAE, they stopped in KKMC after dropping everything on the target, and were quick-turned back to Baghdad several times, and then later returned to us in UAE and the forms needed to be with the jets in those instances... Not sure how any of the other units did it, but that was our process...

Amazing story from his journal. Give you some picture of the horror that went on.

What other stories do you or anyone else have on the maintenance side of the 16's during Desert Storm? I sure love to hear them. I sat out the war at Randolph. It drove me crazy watching the war on CNN seeing a F-16 with HR on the tail going out with a full combat load knowing I was now on 37's and 38's.

Also think of all the other crew chiefs in any conflict that launched a plane that never came back.

Shortcut wrote:

Good story. Not to poke holes in it but, why would the forms be on the acft?

Back in the day the forms stayed with the jet, even in flight.
A-10’s had a forms box ( and still do, but not used) in the right main wheel well!
CAMS has to match the 781’s … so complete automation of documentation is just around the corner when a wireless PC is part of your tool box!
I think this is happening now with F22 and F35 PAI

tbarlow wrote:

What other stories do you or anyone else have on the maintenance side of the 16's during Desert Storm? I sure love to hear them.

I agree! I would love to read some first person accounts of missions involving unique circumstances. The ones that are legal to talk about anyway! Evil or Very Mad

VarkVet wrote:

Shortcut wrote:

Good story. Not to poke holes in it but, why would the forms be on the acft?

Back in the day the forms stayed with the jet, even in flight.
A-10’s had a forms box ( and still do, but not used) in the right main wheel well!
CAMS has to match the 781’s … so complete automation of documentation is just around the corner when a wireless PC is part of your tool box!
I think this is happening now with F22 and F35 PAI

Oh how I miss using CAMS. I preferred it over GUI anyday.

Forum: Air Force Life

There I was...a perspective from the maintenance side