Forum: F-16 News

This is a discussion topic for the F-16.net news article: "Two Greek F-16D jets crashed - pilots did not survive". You can read the full forum discussion in the F-16.net forum.

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Unfortunately Greece has lost 2 of the 4 F-16D Block 30.

So far,the info is very limited but it seems that the 2nd crew ejected but the altitude was very low.

The two planes were in final approach at Nea Aghialos AB (were the procedure is to overfly over the sea and land) but7 miles before landing they turned North to the mountains were they crashed.Nobody knows why they did this(the flight was about training in flight in the fog and mist but the excersise was over when the accident happened).

Some info reports that the accident occured due to the low quality of ATC services(the Chinnok that crashed and the SAR ops started 4 hours later a month ago was due to ATC at Radar station of Hortiatis),where the Radar of Pilio was in charge of supporting the flight and nobody informed the crue about the mountains ahead.

Some other info reports of mid-air collision but nothing is sure so far.

Nannos Evagelos
Athens, Greece

My heartfelt condolences to the family members and friends of the pilots.

Pumpkin

I'll remember with great affection the times I've hit the scramble siren for them and launched them into the unknown .

Farewell Aegean Knights!

Yannis

According to latest info the most likely reason of the accident was the "vertigo" of formation's leader.

Pilot71

The four pilots that died in this tragical accident were Major Ioannis Kommatas 37 years old, Captain Athanasios Sioutas 33 years old, Lieutenant Georgios Likoudis 28 years old and Lieutenant Georgios Antonopoulos, all four of them flying for 330 squadron "Keravnos".

Goodbye Keravnos Gold, you will not be forgotten.

A flight recorder was recovered on Saturday of one of the two Vipers. This should help authorities to discover the cause of the crash.

According to defence ministry officials, an ejection signal had been recorded as the air force jets were flying 23-25 kilometres northeast of Aghialos military airport in Pelion.

Experts have said that the two jetfighters may have veered off course, and there may have been a collision. The first of the two jets could have suffered engine failure, with the second aircraft crashing into it since the two were flying in formation.

For your information, there is no such thing as a flight recorder in F-16's!

Our Orthodox Church believe that people like these pilots who died in action, are lucky because they are sitting close to our God. I have to add that these pilots are more lucky, because they are over there and they pray for us. We morn them but we are thinking of them and believe to meet them again... in other Dogfight... farewell my good friends... take care over there and hope to see you soon!!

They said that it was a problem with the TACAN.40 degrees mistake by TACAN.So,the ILS send them to the mountain...

Unfortunately, the TACAN was not the problem.Nor the ILS.

The reason was that the two crews wanted to continue the excercise so they went North.

No TACAN problems and so ever.You cannot have TACAN problems in both acft...

Vagos

I salute my brethren Viper pilots who gave their all.

From our service song's third verse....... I raise a toast!

Here's a toast to the host of those who love the vastness of the sky,

To a friend we will send the message of his brother men who fly.
We drink to those who gave their all of old,
Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
A toast to host of the men we boast.........

I'm sure that Ill be able to toast them personally one day in that neat hootch bar in the sky.

amen,
Gums sends

On behalf of 330 Sqn, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all those who sympathized with the sudden loss of our beloved colleagues.

The pilots of 330 Sqn.

The gratitude is from us to you the children of Icarus, the guardians of our freedom...

Thermopylae

C.P. Cavafy

Honour to those who in their lives
are committed and guard their Thermopylae.

Never stirring from duty;
just and upright in all their deeds,
but with pity and compassion too;
generous whenever they are rich, and when
they are poor, again a little generous,
again helping as much as they are able;
always speaking the truth,
but without rancor for those who lie.

And they merit greater honor
when the foresee (and many do foresee)
that Ephialtes will finally appear,
and in the end the Medes will go through.

------------------

# http://www.army.gr/n/g/archive/marchsong/aeroporos.mp3

I felt a pain came from my hearth, salute and pray for all of them. Safe flight my friends.

your Gardas from east side