Forum: F-16 News

This is a discussion topic for the F-16.net news article: "F-16 left runway at Balad AB - Accident report released". You can read the full forum discussion in the F-16.net forum.

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So what options did the pilot have? let go of the brakes and over run the runway instead?

Gus......... do you have any input? I know I probably shouldn't ask........and no answer is ok.

Not sure of the complete details but may not have used channel two for braking or maybe should have taken off and tried again. It was unfortunate in how it happened and conditions were/are not the best. I know that when the guys were making night landings, there was little room for error especially when your bringing your full armament load back with you.

Could he have dropped the hook and taken the wire?

Chickenlegs,

You're right. I can't say much on this forum. I can say that most of the stuff happened beyond the cable. We are waiting for the jet to get back from Hill...on a truck...where we hope to get it repaired. I haven't seen an update for a while, but at least it made it out of country, finally. Most of the cost was the TGP.

The lighting did stink. Hopefully, they fixed that by now.

Gus

ps. Your safety guy may be able to shed some light...

It sounds like the jet is going to be repaired at home station? When did the jet finally get back? I know this happened last July so the AIB report seems a little late.

I think the checklist procedures go like this
Channel 2
Anti Skid Off
Hook as required

You had to be in location to understand the circumstances. Again, I have to emphasize that the conditions for night landings (and these were not your typical night landings) were not the best. All you have to do is look at the photo's of the C-130 that hit the construction hole on the runway at another Iraqi Air Base and the fact that the crew on that plane did not see the construction on landing.

All bases there have construction going on at the same time missions are flown. Now I'm not saying this is the case just that a lot of things are going on at these airfields, to include continuous airlift flying in and out that make operations pretty intense. Our missions (IMHO) were critical. Jets flying at all times in support of the troops and other command directives.
The folks overseas are doing the best they can and this was just an unfortunate event in which nobody got hurt.

Have a great day!
Chickenlegs

I happened to be at Balad when this accident took place. The pilot was already past the cable when he dropped the hook. The plane sat there in Balad for quite awhile. It is was finally shipped to Hill in a C-5. The damage to the MLG seemed pretty bad. The trunnions were ripped from the bulkhead. I have more photos on disk somewhere. I'll have to find them and upload them.

Anyone know the current status of this airplane? Rumor has it being repaired in Montana?

Hello Everybody,
This is chcknhwk339. I had to change my name because I lost my info. Like I promised, I posted the photos to this site. You will probably have to go to the upload menu to see them before they are distibuted to the right spot. As for the plane itself, I am under the impression it is at Hill being repaired. I think the damage is a little too significant for Montana to fix itself. Check out the photos and you'll see what I mean.

Looks like a 341 bulkhead change at least.

Any model builders, there is a decal sheet for 328 available in 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 from Vince Maddux Decals.

http://www.vmdecals.com/images/F-16/48-011.jpg

Taco44,
How did you get a hold of the SIB photos?

Kapring:

I was stationed at Balad with the Rocky Mountain Coalition (CO, MT, NM ANG) last summer. I have a lot of "unofficial photos" of the coalition jets. In spite of the accident, I have to agree with chickenlegs. Balad was a 'to say the least' interesting place to land. Between incoming mortars and lack of lighting, it is easy to see where accidents could happen. I have the utmost respect for the pilots and ground crews as they pulled of an outstanding job. In just three short (or long) months, we flew just under 5,000 flight hours with 12 jets. To put that in perspective, that is more than a 15 jet squadron usually flies in a year. Kudos to the coalition. Salute

Dittos.....great job operating from a base that was FAR less than optimal.

Also, you guys out there making the birds fly were there over the summer. I at least had 3 months of fall/winter....Iraq is no fun in the summer fellas.