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Dutch F-16 belly lands at Charleroi-Gosselies airport

April 8, 2011 (by Bjorn Claes) - Earlier this morning Dutch F-16 #J-640 from 312 squadron belly landed at Charleroi-Gosselies airport.

RNlAF F-16AM #J-640 is flying beside a RNlAF KDC-10 on May 27th, 2004 during a refuelling session. [Afterburner.nl photo]

The airframe was due to arrive at the SABCA factory for some modification work and repainting in anticipation of it being transferred to Chile in September of 2011.

The Dutch government has sold 18 F-16s to Chile in 2009. Twelve of those have already departed the Netherlands to their new home country. This airframe is one of the final six airframes that need to be transferred.

When performing a touch-and-go the nosewheel collapsed and the F-16 slid down the runway on its belly. The pilot escaped uninjured from the crippled airframe.

It will now have to be checked whether this airframe can still be repaired or that it will be replaced by another example for the Chilean Air Force.


Additional images:

RNLAF F-16AM #J-640 from 312 sqn on the runway with full AB at Volkel AB at the start of a training flight on September 26th, 2003. [Military Aircraft Collection photo by Mike Schoenmaker]
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