F-16 Fighting Falcon News

January 18, 2001 (by Lieven Dewitte) - A bird strike was the probable cause of an F-16C crash near Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., July 1, according to officials investigating the accident.
The pilot of the aircraft, Maj. Samuel D'Angelo III, assigned to the 482nd Fighter Wing at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., was killed and the aircraft was destroyed after impacting the ground about 50 nautical miles southwest of Patrick AFB on a private cattle ranch.

According to the Accident Investigation Board report released Jan. 18 by Air Combat Command, D'Angelo ceased controlling the aircraft approximately 25 minutes after takeoff for a low-level training mission. He made no radio transmissions nor did he initiate the ejection sequence to escape the aircraft.

Substantial evidence indicates the probable cause of the crash was a bird strike on the forward area of the canopy. Investigators believe the canopy deflected inward, striking the pilot and rendering him incapable of controlling or escaping the aircraft or of initiating radio contact.