F-16 crashes at Utah Test and Training Range - May 4th 2012

Hi all,

Does any of You know the squadron and serial no. involved in this accident, please?!

Cheers,

Henrik.

Henrik,

We believe it is 88-0433.

Greets,

Thank God he got out...

Thank You all!!

From the 421st FS I believe - allthough the database says the 34th FS?!

Cheers,

Henrik.

its a widow jet. you guys may want to update the database. the rams closed awhile ago and the widows and funyuns picked up a the jets

deadseal wrote:its a widow jet. you guys may want to update the database. the rams closed awhile ago and the widows and funyuns picked up a the jets

That´s true, deadseal - the South Dakota ANG received a mix of jets from all three squadrons at Hill when they converted to Block-40s in 2010, as the 34th FS stood down.

Now the 4th and 421st FSs - and the 466th "associate" -have a total of nearly 60 aircraft.

Cheers,

Henrik.

deadseal wrote:its a widow jet. you guys may want to update the database. the rams closed awhile ago and the widows and funyuns picked up a the jets

Database updated. Anyone got a date for the transfer.

Asif wrote:

deadseal wrote:its a widow jet. you guys may want to update the database. the rams closed awhile ago and the widows and funyuns picked up a the jets

Database updated. Anyone got a date for the transfer.

Asif,

I believe she was transferred as the 34th closed down in 2010.

Cheers,

Henrik.

I have a pic from April 2010 of it with a spiderweb on a multi colored flash.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eor1/4558157182/

http://www.startribune.com/nation/16879 ... ml?refer=y

Air Force: Engine failure caused F-16C Falcon to crash in Utah training range; pilot ejected

Updated: September 6, 2012 - 1:35 PM

NORFOLK, Va. - A fighter plane crashed during a training mission in Utah this May because of an engine failure that possibly could have been avoided if inspectors had noticed an anomaly in a fan blade when it was installed in 2004, according to an Air Force report released Thursday.

Gamera wrote:http://www.startribune.com/nation/168790886.html?refer=y

Air Force: Engine failure caused F-16C Falcon to crash in Utah training range; pilot ejected

Updated: September 6, 2012 - 1:35 PM

NORFOLK, Va. - A fighter plane crashed during a training mission in Utah this May because of an engine failure that possibly could have been avoided if inspectors had noticed an anomaly in a fan blade when it was installed in 2004, according to an Air Force report released Thursday.

Could/should this anomaly have been detected during 8 subsequent years of post flight and periodic maintenance inspections? Not throwing stones just curious about what can be seen looking down the intake.

Also, is 8 years of installation normal for an Viper motor?

Engines can be completelly fine for a long time, then suddenly what started as a little crack can be a major problem as in this instance. So in one way, you are correct it MAY have been something that should have been discovered - or on the other hand it may not have been. Difficult to say without more details on what the problem with the fan blade was.

ruderamronbo wrote:

Gamera wrote:http://www.startribune.com/nation/168790886.html?refer=y

Air Force: Engine failure caused F-16C Falcon to crash in Utah training range; pilot ejected

Updated: September 6, 2012 - 1:35 PM

NORFOLK, Va. - A fighter plane crashed during a training mission in Utah this May because of an engine failure that possibly could have been avoided if inspectors had noticed an anomaly in a fan blade when it was installed in 2004, according to an Air Force report released Thursday.

Could/should this anomaly have been detected during 8 subsequent years of post flight and periodic maintenance inspections? Not throwing stones just curious about what can be seen looking down the intake.

Also, is 8 years of installation normal for an Viper motor?

They are saying the fan blade was installed 8 years ago. I'm pretty sure the engine didn't stay in the jet that long. It would have been borescoped multiple times for inspections. I don't think they CT Scan complete engines routinely, although I've seen it done with a bizjet engine by a university. Even a 2D X-Ray of a fan disk might help, but again it would be very expensive to do outside depot overhaul interval.

This has to be balanced with the cost of replacing a $30-$60m F-16 after the pilot ejects out. There have been cases of F-16s doing a successful engine-out landing.

Some cracks are just real hard to see, and sometimes impossible with out xray or die penatrent.

Here is a timeline of the F-16 mishap a few weeks ago in Utah. For all those who consider the risk of a single engine failure low, they still do happen with some regularity. This one did not allow the aircraft to recover to a nearby airfield:

"Zero Seconds: Engine explodes.

Plus 5 Seconds: “Troll 12’s emergency.”

Plus 18 Seconds: Aircraft Number “2 just lost the motor, heading out west towards Eagle” range, flat and desolate, away from mountains.

Plus 46 Seconds: Attempting “second restart now, looks like it’s not going anywhere. I felt a pretty big bang.”

Plus 77 seconds: “Passing 6000 [Mean Sea Level, about 2,000 feet above the ground] now, motor’s still at 30% [RPM], I’m getting out.”

Plus 96 seconds: Canopy warning light illuminates, indicating ejection."

Read more: http://nation.time.com/2012/09/11/96-se ... z26AUaMfhI