ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46318
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| Date: | Wednesday 21 June 2000 |
| Time: | 13:57 |
| Type: |  General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon |
| Owner/operator: | 421st TFSqn /388th TFWg USAF |
| Registration: | 87-0357 |
| MSN: | 1C-8 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, 45 nm north of CFB Cold Lake, Alberta -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | CFB Cold Lake, Alberta (YOD/CYOD) |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
F-16CG 87-0357 (call sign WIDOW 12) of the 421st FS, 388th FW, USAF, on detachment from Hill AFB, Utah to CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada was lost on 21 June 2000 due to a bird strike, over the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, Alberta, Canada.
The aircraft impacted the terrain at 45 nautical miles north of CFB Cold Lake, at approximate coordinates 55'09.0"N, 110'01.0" W. The pilot, Captain Richard Pietrykowski, ejected with injuries to his face, and a 417 Squadron CFB, CH-146 '415' picked him up.
A single fully grown adult American White Pelican hit the canopy creating a large hole which was the caused of injuries to the pilot. He was struck at high speed by pieces of the pelican and shards of the canopy. This aircraft was participating in exercise "Maple Flag XXIII".
At the crash site, the largest piece of the F-16 that was left was the gun fairing. The rest of the F-16 was buried deeply underground in the muskeg (unfrozen tundra). Probably larger pieces of the aircraft will surface as the years go by and the ground freezes and thaws.
The only access to the crash site was via helicopter. The ejection seat had bird guts all over it and a hole where a bear had bitten through the seat while licking off the guts. The canopy had pieces with feathers actually sticking out of it, such was the force of the impact.
The pilot was also injured with air bubbles in his skin which resulted in temporary blindness and hearing loss. The F-16 impacted the pelican at 2,000 AGL and about 700 knots. This clipped the helmet straps off and destroyed the Head Up Display and glare shields. The pilot ejected almost immediately with no time to slow down.
Sources:
1. http://www.scramble.nl [Scramble 254]
2. http://www.f-16.net/news_article546.html
3. http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0301/ML030160714.pdf
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFB_Cold_Lake
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1987.html
6. http://web.archive.org/web/20170218164837/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/F-16/USAF/f_16_USAF_00s.htm
7. http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2000/mapleflag/maple.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 18-Nov-2013 22:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-Feb-2021 14:20 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Operator] |
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