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Iowa ANG F-16 makes tailhook landing at Des Moines Airport

August 2, 2009 (by Lieven Dewitte) - Mechanics at Des Moines' 132nd Fighter Wing Unit are trying to figure out what forced the F-16 pilot to make a barrier engagement on Saturday afternoon.

Detail of the tailhook on 194th FS F-16C block 25 #85404. [Photo by Jeff Hollenbeck]

The Viper driver informed air traffic control at around 14:00h that he was experiencing problems with the controls during take-off. The pilot was escorted over a rural area by three additional F-16 jets as he checked the controls on the jet.

The problem eventually pointed to the brakes of the F-16 so as a precaution, the pilot dropped his arrestor hook, which latched onto a steel cable stretched across the runway at Des Moines Airport.


Additional images:

The tailhook of USAF F-16D block 42 #90-0783 from the 63rd FS scrapes along the runway before grabbing hold of the arresting barrier on December 20th, 2007. The barrier engagement is an annual requirement airfield managers must arrange and perform to ensure the systems are operational. [USAF photo by TSgt. Raheem Moore]

USAF F-16C block 40 #89-2071 from the 35th FS tailhook latches on to a crash barrier cable during the cable's certification on June 16th, 2009 at Kunsan AB. [USAF photo by SrA. Jonathan Steffen]

TuAF F-16C block 40 #90-0013 from 161 Filo is grabbing the arrestor cable during a test of the system. [Photo by Emin Fýndýklý]
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