F-16 Aircraft Database

Crashed near Fole, South Juttland. It was the first loss for the Danish. The aircraft crashed due to lightning strike. The pilot, 2nd lieutenant Kim Robert Juul, ejected safely. In about 2,000 feet the aircraft came down through a heavy rain cloud, when a lightning suddenly hit the starboard side of the radome. Almost every warning light came on and the pilot called out a MAYDAY to Skrydstrup Approach. The aircraft was flying normally until the hydraulic pressure started to go down to 1,000 PSI (normal pressure is 3,000 PSI), then suddenly the aircraft made a powerful pitch-up and since there were no response to the stick, the pilot ejected. The aircraft then made a full loop and came back inverted towards the pilot, who by now was hanging in his parachute, but luckily it went past him. On his way down he found out that he was going to land on a field were a horse was standing. Trying to steer clear of the field he almost made it when the dinghy, hanging on the line under the pilot, hit the horse on the back and the frightened animal ran away. After he landed on the field, he got up only to discover that the horse was coming back in a very bad mood. Jumping over the barbwire just minutes before the horse got to him 2nd lieutenant Juul then made his way to the nearest farm house and contacted the air base and within 20 minutes the SAR helicopter arrived.

Collided over Fyn Island, Denmark, with F-16B (78-0211, ET-211) during a NATO exercise ‘Blue Moon’ near Assens. The aircraft was flown by Lieutenant Egon Christensen and the back-seat rider was aircraft technician SA Flemming Mortensen. Both crewmembers ejected but hit the canopy and didn't survive. The aircraft were flying in close formation in low altitude with ET-209 in front. During a turn the pilot in ET-211 misunderstood the instructions from the formation leader and collided with ET-209 during the turn.

Collided over Fyn Island, Denmark, with F-16B (78-0209, ET-209) during a NATO exercise ‘Blue Moon’ near Assens. The pilot, Captain Ole Bria Lessel, ejected safely. He was the only one aboard. The aircraft were flying in close formation in low altitude with ET-209 in front. During a turn the pilot in ET-211 misunderstood the instructions from the formation leader and collided with ET-209 during the turn.

During approach to Skrydstrup AB the gear indicators showed "unsafe". The pilot, 2nd lieutenant P. Bergstrøm, passed the ATC tower and got a reply that the gear looked normal. A chase pilot also inspected the gear and found nothing wrong. The pilot elected "gear up", lowered them again and he got 3 green lights in the cockpit. After touch down the right main landing gear collapsed. As the pilot realized he was unable to keep the F-16 on the runway, he elected to use the ejectionseat, which went all right. The cause of the gear collapse was corrosion in a actuator in the right gear. This aircraft has the honour of being the first RDAF aircraft from which the pilot used the ejection seat that survived and went back to service. 2nd lieutenant P. Bergstrøm landed hard on the runway and was dragged about 100 yards down the runway before he managed to cut loose. The Air Base fire department tried to stop the engine, which was still running, by blowing foam into the air intake. This had no effect, and a fireman then crawled over the wing and cut off the engine. When the engine's RPM parsed 40% the Emergency Power Unit started and the engine was now running on hydrazine until a pilot arrived and shot down the EPU.

On 10 Jul 1986 the aircraft was on a gunnery training mission near the Danish island of Rømø, when there was an explosion in the engine, and smoke and flames was detected from the other planes in the formation. The pilot, Captain V.C. Boudreaux an USAF exchange pilot, was able keep the engine running long enough to get the aircraft back to Skrydstrup Air Base where he made a normal landing, and by doing so saved the aircraft. Captain Boudreaux on the 4 December 1986 received the Danish decoration “The Medal for Superior Airmanship” by the chief of the Danish tactical air command. He was invited to the Royal palace, were the queen herself wanted to personally congratulate Captain Bourdreaux.

Collided at 14,000 feet with F-16A (78-0186, E-186) just north of Ribe during an air combat mission. The pilot, lieutenant René Sten Jensen, ejected safely.

Collided at 14,000 feet with F-16A (78-0179, E-179) just north of Ribe during an air combat mission. The pilot, Lieutenant John Møller Sørensen, ejected safely.

Caught in a heavy cross wind landing at Skrydstrup AB. The pilot, Lieutenant C. S. Hansen, was unable to hold the aircraft on the runway. Aircraft went off the runway and nose gear was torn off. After repair the aircraft was back in service by June 30th, 1986.

Crashed near Vadehavet, near Rømø, Denmark. The American exchange pilot flying the aircraft, Captain Steven D. Wheeless, ejected safely. During a training mission in low altitude flying, the pilot had to make an evasive manoeuvre in order to clear a flock of birds. During this manoeuvre the aircraft stalled and then hit the the water. It then jump back into the air giving the pilot the chance to eject.

Crashed near Ålebæk Bugt, south of Skagen, Denmark. Engine failure caused this crash with the pilot, Lieutenant Per Barner Petersen, ejecting safely.

Pilot, Lieutenant N. B. Jørgensen had to land gear up at Skrydstrup AB when the left landing gear indicated unsafe. The aircraft was landed on the empty belly tank on the main runway so smoothly that the aircraft only had small scrathes on the left sidewinder rail. For this, lieutenant Jørgensen received a letter from the Danish minister of defence congratulating his performance. The aircraft was easily repaired and back to flying duties in only 30 days.

A runaway Mobil crane crashed into the gate on hangar 5 at Skrydstrup AB hitting the aircraft and pushing it into the opposite wall. The aircraft was so badly damaged that it was not until August 3rd, 1990 that the aircraft was ready to fly again.

The aircraft suffered a birdstrike but was repaired.

The main undercarriage retracted just after touchdown during a touch and go exercise. The aircraft slid for 5,000 feet on its two wing tanks, and stopped still on the runway. The pilot stayed with the aircraft, and the aircraft had minor damage, which will be repaired. Damage was to wing tanks, main gear doors, ventral fins and elevators. The aircraft crashed at Skrydstrup.

On take-off from RAF Marham near Norfolk, United Kingdom, at 10:54 hours for return to Skydstrup air base the tower observed flames coming from the engine area and advised the pilot, Captain M. A. Friis, who elected to continue the take-off. Some 6 kilometres from the airfield, the crew ejected safely over Narborough at a height of 1,600 feet. The aircraft came down safely in an empty sugar beet field near Necton, Norfolk, after flying on for a further 12.8 kilometres. The student pilot, First Lieutenant M. L. Andersen’s parachute caught in a 26 foot tree, and took an hour to get him down