Misawa F-16 jettisons fuel tank over residential area

[Gamera]

Tuesday, 30 November 2021:
F-16CM-50-CF (#91-0382) WW MSN CC-80 from the 13th FS, 35th FW, USAF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.

• One of flight of two.
• During flight to training area, engine trouble warning light, and aborted mission.
• During flight from Japan Sea to Aomori AP, dropped two drop tanks contained fuel.
• Wingman confirmed drop tanks did not cause fire, and returned to Misawa AB.
• First drop tank landed at national highway #101, near Fukaura Town Hall, Fukaura Town, western Aomori Prefecture.
• 400 m south from JR Fukaura Station, near civilian houses and temples.
• 65 km southwest from Aomori AP.
• USAF claimed second drop tank landed near Iwaki Mountain, 30 km southwest from Aomori AP.
• 18:10, emergency landed, and stopped at runway, Aomori AP.
• Runway closed.
• By 30 November night, eight civilian arrived and departure flights were cancelled. Some flights returned to origin airports.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20211201/k10013370101000.html

Wednesday, 2021/12/01:
After 14:00, Colonel Timothy B. Murphy, the Vice Commander of 35th FW at Misawa AB, went to Fukaura Town Hall, and apologised to Mayor Yosida Mitsuru. Same afternoon, US soldiers removed broken drop tank from beside highway.
Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20211202/k10013371541000.html

Thursday, 2021/12/02:

• Afternoon, US soldiers found and removed second broken drop tank from forest, 800 m southeast from first drop tank.
• 300 m north from vegetables collection and shipping facility.
• 800 m northeast from homes and school.

Sources:

• https://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/aomori/20211203/6080014517.html
• https://www.rab.co.jp/news/news108bd3w4fp7qyjr8a9a.html

Friday, 2021/12/03:

• US soldiers dismounted engine from F-16, and mounted new engine.
• Raised F-16, and tested landing gear.
• They worked at apron, despite low temperature, rain, or snow.
• Airport could not or did not lend hangar to them.
• They apparently knew live cameras at airport, pointed at F-16.
• During snow, they made small snowman beside F-16.
• Night, they lined up, bowed at cameras, and left F-16.
• Until next morning, snowman guarded F-16.

Sources:

• https://abema.tv/video/episode/89-43_s0_p237362
• https://mainichi.jp/articles/20211205/k00/00m/040/215000c
• https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_politics/articles/000237362.html
• https://twitter.com/BlueSkyBlue67/status/1467383154483036160
• https://twitter.com/mj3rd302sq301sq/status/1467426878869098498
• https://twitter.com/POYOTA_KOKI/status/1467386733570699266
• https://twitter.com/zr100er/status/1467403092035784704
• https://twitter.com/AsitakAsutore/status/1467382997054025728
• https://twitter.com/AsitakAsutore/status/1467382246281986048

Sunday, 2021/12/05:

• Morning, despite 30 cm snow on airport and F-16, ground crew prepared F-16 for take off.
• 15:30, departed Aomori AP.
• 15:45, arrived Misawa AB.

F-16.net profile of F-16C Block 50D #91-0382:
https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/3425/

Aomori AP access map: https://www.aomori-airport.co.jp/access/map
Fukaura Town access map: http://fukadoko.jp/access/index.html

Other sources:

• https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/270087
• https://www.daily-tohoku.news/archives/87226?utm_source=ise&utm_medium=ise
• https://flyteam.jp/registration/91-0382
• https://news.goo.ne.jp/article/jiji/nation/jiji-211130X064.html
• https://news.nifty.com/article/domestic/society/12145-1357120/
• https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20211130/k10013368761000.html
• https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/145756?rct=national
• https://www.toonippo.co.jp/articles/gallery/775738?ph=1
• https://www.toonippo.co.jp/articles/-/775661
• https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20211130-OYT1T50298/
• https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20211130/k10013368761000.html
• https://www.ybs.jp/tv/wnews/news91j4o2ui93t9heov8q.html

[Boman]

Great updates. This topic should be given a new title to reflect the various incidents it covers.

[Gamera]

I thought about beginning a new thread, but serious accidents related to Misawa AB, are far in-between; and this accident is yet another TFOA (things falling off aircraft) type, so I added it to this Misawa AB thread.

[Lieven]

Thank you Gamera for the updates. I split the posts from the old topic Misawa F-16 drops 500lb inert bomb on private land into a new topic but will link both.

[Gamera]

https://www.daily-tohoku.news/archives/88012
https://nordot.app/841255150443495424

Wednesday, 2021/12/08:
Aomori Prefecture governor will request compensation for economic loss, landing fee, and parking fee caused by F-16.
Because Japan-USA Status of Forces Agreement, cannot request compensation from US military, but can request from Japan Defense Ministry.

This was 10th time US military aircraft emergency landed at Aomori AP.
2019, two times, and received compensation 180,000 Yen [USD 1,590].

[Gamera]

More T.F.O.A.

Sunday, 5 June 2022:
F-16C 13th FS, USAF, based at Misawa AB, Aomori Prefecture.

Air show at JASDF Houfu Kita AB, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

During demo flight, from 13:25, for 10 minutes, panel missing on F-16 fuselage top side, between cockpit and left wing leading edge.

Size, 25 cm square.
Weight, 1.8 kg.

https://twitter.com/ivory_04_9904/statu ... 4627502082
https://twitter.com/mnaka_kyoto/status/ ... 8386310144

Example photos.

During demo flight, panel was opened, then detached.

https://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/articles/-/173365
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/k/yamaguchi ... 13637.html