ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 46547
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 July 1993 |
| Time: | 15:31 LT |
| Type: |  General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon |
| Owner/operator: | 35th TFSqn /8th TFWg USAF |
| Registration: | 86-0275 |
| MSN: | 5C-381 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Kunsan AB, North Jerolla Province -
 South Korea
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Kunsan AB, South Korea (KUN/RKJK) |
| Kunsan AB, South Korea (KUN/RKJK) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Written off July 27 1993: as F-16C 87-0335 (call sign STINGRAY 01) was preparing for take off from Kunsan AB, South Korea, F-16C (86-0275, call sign SLAP 02) landed on top of it. One of the pilots involved, Lt. Col. Ralph Earl "Bark" Gardner, in 87-0335 who had just arrived at Kunsan AB, Korea from MacDill AFB, Tampa, Florida, was killed. The other pilot, Captain Richard D. LeBlanc, in 86-0275, survived the incident.
According to the following extract (albeit redacted/censored) from the official USAF report into the incident:
"On 27 July 93 at 3:31 PM, a United States Air Force F-16C, Block 30, Serial Number 86-0275, call sign Slap 02, collided with a United States Air Force F-16C, Block 30, Serial Number 87-0335, call sign Stingray 01, at 35 degrees 53 minutes 30 seconds north latitude, 126 degrees 37 minutes 5 seconds east longitude on the approach end of Runway 36, at Kunsan Air Base, Republic Of Korea, fatally injuring the pilot of Stingray 01. Lieutenant Colonel Ralph E. Gardner, a United States Air Force pilot assigned as the Chief of Safety, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, ROK, was the pilot of Stingray 01.
Slap 02 was flown by Captain Richard D. Le Blanc, a United States Air Force pilot assigned to the 35th Fighter Squadron, 8th Operations Group, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic Of Korea. Slap 02 was returning from his second flight of the day, a training mission that originated at Kunsan Air Base at 2:34 PM. Stingray 01 was just beginning the take off roll for his second flight of the day, a single-shlp training mission, when the mishap occurred.
The accident occurred on, and was confined to Kunsan Air Base, which is on Korean government property. Stingray 01 was totally destroyed by the collision and resulting fire. Slap 02 sustained major foreign object damage (FOD) to its engine, and substantial structural damage to the intake, landing gear, and underside of the aircraft as a result of the collision and uncontrolled departure from the runway"
The wreckage of 86-0275 was retained at Kunsan Air Base for Battle Damage Repair Training (BDRT). This aircraft and an F-101F Voodoo (59-0454, also being used for BDRT) were cut into pieces at Kunsan AB, ROK so they could be hauled off to a scrap merchant sometime during 1995.
Sources:
1. http://www.scramble.nl [Scramble 348]
2. http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/2361/
3. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1986.html
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20170218120105/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/F-16/USAF/f_16_USAF_90s.htm
5. http://pbadupws.nrc.gov/docs/ML0302/ML030240313.pdf
Media:
F-16C 86-0275 being used for Battle Damage Repair Training at Kunsan Air Base in October 1994
FY86 Big Mouth Block 30 F-16 No. 9 by ~F16CrewChief on deviantART
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Nov-2008 10:35 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Jul-2013 03:59 | Anon. | Updated [Source] |
| 10-Nov-2013 20:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 10-Nov-2013 20:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 10-Nov-2013 20:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 16-Feb-2021 10:05 | Nepa | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |
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