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F-16 lands at Prestwick after fuel leak

January 8, 2011 (by Asif Shamim) - An F-16 block 50 from 480th FS made an emergency landing at Glasgow Prestwick Airport after suffering a fuel leak.

USAF F-16C block 50 #91-0407 from the 480th FS that made an emergency landing at Prestwick Airport on January 8th, 2011 with Prestwick fire crew. [Photo by Mark Walker]

The jet #91-0407 was part of a group of F-16s heading to the US from there home station at Spangdahlem Air Force base in Germany when the emergency was declared.

Prestwick airport activated its emergency response programme after the alarm was raised at about 1200 GMT. Local fire and medical services were put on alert, while Strathclyde Police said access roads to the airport were closed for about 15 minutes while the plane landed.

A spokesman said the F-16 landed safely and was accompanied by another jet (#96-0083) from the squadron.

The spokesman added: "Prestwick plans and prepares regularly for such an emergency and we are relieved it ended well."