ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 187968
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| Date: | Tuesday 7 June 2016 |
| Time: | 21:15 LT |
| Type: |  Lockheed Martin F-16CM Fighting Falcon |
| Owner/operator: | South Carolina ANG USAF |
| Registration: | 92-3899 |
| MSN: | CC-141 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bulldog MOA, Jefferson County, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | McEntire Joint ANGB, SC( KMMT) |
| McEntire Joint ANGB, SC( KMMT) | |
| Investigating agency: | USAF AIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Two F-16 fighter planes (92-3899 and 93-0531) collided midair during a night training exercise. Both pilots ejected safely.
The jets were assigned to the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing, which operates out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Eastover, South Carolina.
"The two male pilots were brought to a hospital. Apparently there were no major injuries", said 1st Lt. Stephen Hudson, a spokesman for the Guard.
There were no immediate reports of injuries on the ground. The two aircraft crashed in separate locations, apparently wooded areas. One pilot was found in a pasture and the other at the edge of some woods.
The two F16 were 1993 models that flew in Operation Iraqi Freedom's Shock and Awe campaign. Since then, the jets had been modified and updated.
The pilots are part of the 157th Fighter Squadron known as the “Swamp Foxes".
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Final report from Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board, APR-2018:
Two F-16Cs collided head-on and crashed during training at Bulldog Military Operation Area near Louisville, Georgia., June 7, 2016, after a pilot failed to ensure flight path deconfliction and separation of aircraft, according to an Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released today.
Both pilots were unable to regain control of their aircraft and ejected shortly after the collision sustaining minor injuries. Both aircraft were destroyed after impacting the ground in a rural area, damaging private property.
The mishap occurred during a night training sortie, while the aircraft were operating in a visual wedge formation.
At approximately 9:13 p.m., pilot two radioed that his aircraft had reached a low fuel level that required training termination and an immediate return to the base. After this radio transmission, pilot one did not call “Knock it off” to terminate tactical maneuvering for all aircraft that were part of the training, and began an unannounced left turn to rejoin the second aircraft to return to base. At the same time, pilot two had already begun to follow the first aircraft’s external lights using visual cues, but did not cross-check available sensors to confirm pilot one’s position. Pilot two did not realize that pilot one was heading directly towards him and pointed directly at the first aircraft’s external lights in an attempt to acquire a visual mode radar lock while descending from his sanctuary altitude. The second pilot acquired radar lock with 2,500 feet separation, but still did not recognize the conflict. At the last fraction of a second, both aircraft initiated a left bank away from the other and their high right wings collided.
The Board President concluded the cause of the mishap was pilot two’s failure to fulfill his primary responsibility to ensure flight path deconfliction and separation of aircraft. Additionally, the AIB found two contributing factors to the mishap. The first contributing factor was that the first pilot did not terminate tactical maneuvering following pilot two’s low fuel call. The second contributing factor was that both pilots overly relied on visual cues from external aircraft lighting to judge critical flight parameters.
Pilot one was assigned to the 316th Fighter Squadron, 169th Fighter Wing, McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina. Pilot two was assigned to the 157th Fighter Squadron, 169th Fighter Wing, McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina.
At the time of the mishap, both pilots were medically qualified for flying duties. Pilot one had 1961 flying hours in the F-16, and pilot two had approximately 1677 flight hours in the F-16.
The total loss to the U.S. Government is estimated at $60.8 million, and the environmental clean-up cost was estimated at $90,000.
For more information, contact Air Combat Command Public Affairs at (757) 764-5007 or via e-mail at accpa.operations@us.af.mil.
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
http://www.newswest9.com/story/32171180/two-sc-air-national-guard-fighter-jets-crash-in-mid-air
https://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2016/06/08/air-national-guard-f-16-fighter-pilots-collide-over-georgia-eject-safely/85588370/_/
http://news.findlaw.com/apnews/abe03c574a2f4e6890a706ea1e3cbb33
http://www.denix.osd.mil/sri/upload/SRR2012-AppendixCFigures.pdf
http://www.wyff4.com/article/sc-air-national-guard-pilots-able-to-walk-away-after-jets-collide-over-georgia/7022564
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Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Jun-2016 09:18 | gerard57 | Added |
| 08-Jun-2016 15:07 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Jun-2016 17:02 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 09-Jun-2016 09:23 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Location, Source, Embed code, Photo, ] |
| 09-Jun-2016 16:58 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Dec-2016 18:13 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Location] |
| 07-Sep-2017 13:50 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Apr-2018 20:07 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Source, Embed code, Narrative, Photo, ] |
| 24-Aug-2018 07:43 | harro | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport] |
| 24-Aug-2018 07:44 | harro | Updated [Source] |
| 25-Feb-2021 21:18 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
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