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F-16 Fighting Falcon News
Report released on May 13th F-16C in Nebraska
October 15, 1998 (by
Lieven Dewitte) -
Air Combat Command has released the Aircraft Investigation Report on the May 13 F-16C crash near Ainsworth, Neb. The aircraft was from the 174th Fighter Squadron of the 185th Fighter Wing, Sioux City Air National Guard Base, Iowa.
The pilot had flown approximately 30 minutes of a two-ship training mission when the accident occurred.
The report concludes the accident was caused by birds impacting the aircraft resulting in canopy failure. The aircraft impacted a minimum of five American White Pelicans which caused structural failure of the forward fuselage, penetrated the windscreen and were ingested into the engine.
The pilot, Lt. Col. David E. Lundquist, safely ejected but sustained major injuries from the impact of the birds. The plane was destroyed on impact in the hilly grasslands of a ranch seven miles south of Ainsworth, Neb.
The report concludes the accident was caused by birds impacting the aircraft resulting in canopy failure. The aircraft impacted a minimum of five American White Pelicans which caused structural failure of the forward fuselage, penetrated the windscreen and were ingested into the engine.
The pilot, Lt. Col. David E. Lundquist, safely ejected but sustained major injuries from the impact of the birds. The plane was destroyed on impact in the hilly grasslands of a ranch seven miles south of Ainsworth, Neb.
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