F-16 down at March ARB

One of the alert fighters at March ARB has crashed into a warehouse just off the runway. The aircraft wound up inside the building and igniting a small fire. The pilot ejected before the crash.

CHP has closed 215 in both directions and has established a perimeter around the crash site and is calling for HAZMAT teams.

www.latimes.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58



It happened on takeoff. Most likely has to do with the flaps setting .

Heard it was armed. Prayers for the pilot!

a reply to: Fallingdown

He was actually returning is the word going around. He had an in flight emergency and was trying to get back to the base and ended up not making it.

a reply to: TheGoondockSaint

South Dakota ANG aircraft, California ANG pilot. It was one of the alert force aircraft stationed at the base.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I must’ve screwed up a date on the source. It said it was taking off .

Oops

a reply to: Fallingdown

No, it's the media. They have gone from landing to "after takeoff", which is technically true. Landing does occur after takeoff.

The hazmat called for fuel,hydraulic fluid hydrazine and EOD for live ordnance. Since I used to be at that same facility and retired as an F-16 alert crewchief I still know a few of the guys waiting to here something a reply to: Zaphod58

a reply to: Slide22

Word is going around he was an IFE for hydraulics. Not sure how accurate that is, but the sources reporting that have been dead on in the past.

No flap settings on F-16’s unless the flight control computer malfunctioned looks more like a flight control problem or an engine malfunction a reply to: Fallingdown

It could be since all the flight controls are servo actuators hydraulics do come into play but being there in that unit if it was on takeoff the hydraulics would have had a catastrophic event that would have been caught on last chance (EOR) inspection unless they are scrambled.There are two hydraulic systems in the F-16 and the actuators use both systems in the flight controls a reply to: Zaphod58

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Fallingdown

No, it's the media. They have gone from landing to "after takeoff", which is technically true. Landing does occur after takeoff.

I saw the way the narrative was jumping around.

That’s why I quit while I was ahead .

a reply to: Slide22

It was on landing. He was returning because of his issues. There's supposed to be a dash cam video that shows him nose low, rolling to the right just before impact.

I'm going up that way tomorrow morning. Hopefully the 215 clears by then. If there is anything picture worthy, I will be sure to post them.

Five injured on the ground.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
Landing does occur after takeoff.

That's what I love about ATS.

I always learn something.

glad the pilot was able to eject successfully. I hope the ground injuries are minimal.
I was at Pope on green ramp about an hour before the F-16 crash into a c-141. I don't remember how, but I was able to leave early and go fishing with a SSGt I was working with. We saw it happen from a few miles away. The outcome there wasn't as good as this appears to be.

The injury count is up to 12, but all are reported as minor. One was a worker that was knocked off a stand. According to a supervisor, ten minutes prior to the crash workers were in that section of the warehouse.

The 215 remains closed, and the evacuation order in place. They're having to sift through debris to get to the weapons and safe them. According to the Air Force; the pilot reported a possible hydraulic failure prior to the crash.

a reply to: Majic

The real trick is making sure that for every takeoff in your logbook, there's a matching landing.