Fighter Jet News
F-16 Fighting Falcon News
Singapore F-16 crashes near Arizona training range - pilot did not survive
May 20, 2004 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
A Singapore Air Force F-16C fighter jet crashed Wednesday night during a routine training mission south of a military training range in southern Arizona.
The crash occurred at about 21.41h local time, south of the Barry M. Goldwater Range near Sells.
The plane had taken from Luke Air Force Base with two other aircraft on a routine night training flight. About 45 minutes into the flight, communication with the missing aircraft was lost, said the Singapore Defense Ministry.
The Singaporean pilot, which was first reported missing, did not survive the crash.
The pilot Lieutenant Loo Kwang Han, was 25 years old. He joined the RSAF in June 1998, obtained his pilot wings in July 2001 and became an F-16 pilot in January 2003.
The F16 block 52 was assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, 425th FS 'Black Widows', which undertakes the flight training for the Singapore AF crews at Luke.
Under the Peace Carvin II program, signed in 1993, RSAF Block 52's were based at Luke AFB, for training purposes. This training agreement expired last year but the USAF and RSAF extended this for an additional 15 years, which means RSAF F-16 training at Luke will continue until 2018.
Almost exactly two years ago there was another RSAF F-16 that crashed at the Barry M. Goldwater Training Range. The USAF pilot of that jet, Maj. David Walker, ejected safely.
RSAF F-16C block 52 #97121, based at Luke Air Force Base for training purposes. [Sentry Aviation News photo by H.P.A.M. van Eupen]
The plane had taken from Luke Air Force Base with two other aircraft on a routine night training flight. About 45 minutes into the flight, communication with the missing aircraft was lost, said the Singapore Defense Ministry.
The Singaporean pilot, which was first reported missing, did not survive the crash.
The pilot Lieutenant Loo Kwang Han, was 25 years old. He joined the RSAF in June 1998, obtained his pilot wings in July 2001 and became an F-16 pilot in January 2003.
The F16 block 52 was assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, 425th FS 'Black Widows', which undertakes the flight training for the Singapore AF crews at Luke.
Under the Peace Carvin II program, signed in 1993, RSAF Block 52's were based at Luke AFB, for training purposes. This training agreement expired last year but the USAF and RSAF extended this for an additional 15 years, which means RSAF F-16 training at Luke will continue until 2018.
Almost exactly two years ago there was another RSAF F-16 that crashed at the Barry M. Goldwater Training Range. The USAF pilot of that jet, Maj. David Walker, ejected safely.
Additional images:
Lieutenant Brandon Loo Kwang Han. Singapore F-16 crashes near Arizona training range - pilot did not survive Thursday, May 20, 2004
Related articles:
Forum discussion:
Tags
- Second Luke F-16 crashes this week (2003-06-14)
- F-16 crashes in Arizona, pilot survives (2003-06-11)
- Singapore F-16 crashes, pilot in good shape (2002-05-30)
- F-16 Fighting Falcon news archive
Forum discussion:
Tags