Forum: F-16 News

Pilot sought after 2 F-16s collide off S.C. coast

(AP) – 12 minutes ago

CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Air Force says crews are searching for an F-16 fighter pilot off the coast of South Carolina after two jets collided Thursday night.
Senior Master Sgt. Brad Fallin at Shaw Air Force Base says the two planes collided around 8:30 p.m. Thursday about 40 miles off Folly Beach, near Charleston, during night training exercises. Each plane was carrying one person.
Fallin says one jet landed safely at Charleston Air Force Base, but the location of the other plane and pilot is unknown.
Fallin says the Coast Guard is currently searching the with two helicopters and two service vessels.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

F-16.net Sponsor

Thoughts and prayers.

Roger that, prayers outbound!!!!!!!!!

I can't imagine that there are many things scarier than being lost in the middle of the ocean at night. God help all those out there searching tonight and hopefully they find him/her safe.

My prayers go out to the pilot and the men and women out there trying to find him/her.

wow Not Cool I hope they find him.

Shaw Air Force Base wrote:

F-16s collide: one pilot and aircraft missing
Posted 10/16/2009

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNS) -- Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft collided during night training exercises Oct. 15 over the Atlantic Ocean about 40 miles east of Folly Beach, S.C.

Captain Nicholas Giglio, from the 20th Fighter Wing here, and his aircraft are missing and a search is underway.

The second F-16, piloted by Capt. Lee Bryant, was able to land safely at Charleston AFB, S.C. Captain Bryant was unharmed.

Aircraft and surface vessels of the U.S. Coast Guard are combing the ocean east of Charleston.

A board of officers will investigate the accident. As additional details become available, they will be released.

source: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123173012

Thoughts and prayers x2

Anybody know the tail #'s?

Folks, some of you have PM'd me for more info on the mishap. I really can't tell you any more than you already know. Yes, I saw the Viper land. No, I can not comment on condition of the aircraft, nor do I have any info on the missing pilot. I do hope they find him soon. It's not good when the wait is this long.

Boman wrote:

Thoughts and prayers x2

Anybody know the tail #'s?

I have noticed a trend on this forum. Whenever something like this happens, inevitably someone will begin discussing the tail number issue. This is absolutely irrelevant information to anyone on this forum, unless of course they were involved in the rescue/investigation/etc. And naturally the last place they would discuss that information would be on an internet forum! There is absolutely zero need for an aircraft enthusiast to need that information, for any purpose or reason. The fact of the matter is that there is still a pilot missing at this hour, and we need to keep him and his young family in our thoughts and prayers. THAT is what we should be focused on. Machines are replaceable, our servicemen are not. The tail number is absolutely irrelevant.

There is also nothing sensitive about a tail number. A lot of people here have worked and crewed some of the jets that have been lost and it is just human curiosity.

nam11b makes excellent point, thank you.

RamF16 wrote:

Boman wrote:

Thoughts and prayers x2

Anybody know the tail #'s?

I have noticed a trend on this forum. Whenever something like this happens, inevitably someone will begin discussing the tail number issue. This is absolutely irrelevant information to anyone on this forum, unless of course they were involved in the rescue/investigation/etc. And naturally the last place they would discuss that information would be on an internet forum! There is absolutely zero need for an aircraft enthusiast to need that information, for any purpose or reason. The fact of the matter is that there is still a pilot missing at this hour, and we need to keep him and his young family in our thoughts and prayers. THAT is what we should be focused on. Machines are replaceable, our servicemen are not. The tail number is absolutely irrelevant.

Let me say that the tail number issue IS relevant. As a lot of people might know, we have one of the (if not THE) most comprehensive serials database of the F-16 online. And we want to keep that as up-to-date as possible. Discussing such things on an internet forum makes it possible for us to keep that database up-to-date at all times.

That being said. Evidently the most important issue is the fact that a plane is still missing and so is the pilot. RamF16 is right about that. For this reason, the mods never asks for the tail number immediately after such an event, but we tend to wait a while for things to settle. An up-to-date serials database is evidently less important then the anxiety the family and service members of the missing pilot have to endure not knowing the fait of their family-/servicemember at this point.

To conclude. Yes, the serial is important, but please refrain from asking straight after the incident. This might come as harsh to all concerned.

Greets,

right now all we can do is pray for the pilot and his family. it does not matter what the ACFT looks like it just matters if we find our guy. the details will come out after the investigation and if you are not on a need to know basis then we all just have to wait. all i can say is the ACFT was flown back and landed ok. so maybe its not to extensive in damage. but lets just keep focused on our guy that is still out there.

I was the one who asked about the serial number, and yes, I am curious!

That said, I do have hope, and I do pray that the pilot is found - hopefully alive, if not - let's hope the familiy can get a place to mourn him/her in the future. Already mentioned this in my post.

I am trully sorry that this one question has gotten so much focus in this thread, and I appologize for that.

Forum: F-16 News

F-16's collide over Atlantic