F-16 crashes in Michigan

I have a friend about 20 miles away their snowmobile group was told they were not needed and as always thanks for the offer. There's no snow but these people know the area. Pretty much the locals have been asked to wait for any request for help. Having the locals search helps because they have the equipment to go anywhere any time because it's their hunting and fishing hot spots. Quite a few roads in the area the crash site is within walking distance to a good road is whats being said. County shift changes a few times so a little is getting out.

a reply to: mikell

It would be nice to get their help, and their knowledge of the area would be incredibly helpful, but at the same time, as I said, there's some really nasty stuff out there in the wreckage. The EPU uses hydrazine for fuel. That's not something you want someone that doesn't know anything about the aircraft to stumble across.

a reply to: rktspc

Ok, having read that, pure BS. It is NOT unusual to have weapons on board "without a copilot". Single seat fighters are used for close air support all the time, and carry weapons.

The pilot wasn't found yet because it's a wooded area, and he could be stuck up in a tree, if he ejected, which it appears he did.

Of course NG is controlling everything. Crash sites are dangerous as hell, ESPECIALLY if he had weapons on board.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I wonder who he was doing close air support for. Things are heating up in MICHIGAN... one Congresslady there basically declared Civil War last night. Hmmmm.

a reply to: 3n19m470

Nobody. CAS isn't the kind of thing that you can just jump in the plane and do without training and practice.

Could have been an alert jet.

Still no word on the pilot. Lots of swamps and lakes in the area. Friends up there aren't hearing anything. Police are doing traffic control. 4 Wheel clubs are on standby if needed. Police utilize them when needed but the Feds might not understand how helpful they can be.

Been below freezing every night just above during the day. Usually there would be a couple of feet of snow by now.

We seem to have had a lot of the accidents this year, I dont ever remember hearing of so many.

Its looking more like bad news as time tolls on but still holding hope for the pilots wellbeing.

a reply to: mikell

Military accidents rarely use civilian groups to help at crash sites, because of the danger involved. Between the ordnance, and other bits and pieces, there have also been cases of parts and pieces that could be important to investigators walking away.

a reply to: Catch_a_Fire

Ops tempo, aircraft age, lack of flight time, and the most important group of maintainers being retired and offered separation when sequestration hit.

a reply to: Zaphod58

They have the site secured just missing a pilot

a reply to: mikell

Yeah, they have it secured, but they have to search the crash area. And people have a tendency to see something and decide it would make a good paperweight or mantlepiece decoration or something. I've seen secured crash sites where people had access around the edges and things walked away because people were grabbing them as fast as they could.

a reply to: Zaphod58

He doesn’t have a lack of flight time. Not sure on the recency though. Spatial D knows no limit in experience.

a reply to: glib2

That wasn't in response to this specific crash, but the number that have happened recently.

originally posted by: mikell
Still no word on the pilot. Lots of swamps and lakes in the area. Friends up there aren't hearing anything. Police are doing traffic control. 4 Wheel clubs are on standby if needed. Police utilize them when needed but the Feds might not understand how helpful they can be.

Been below freezing every night just above during the day. Usually there would be a couple of feet of snow by now.

I'm from pretty close to this area and our local news is not saying much. I reached out to in-laws who live quite close and I'll provide an update soon. I do hear some of the same ramblings on Facebook that were on 4chan though so that's odd. That's actually really odd.

Coast Guard Jayhawk and MH-65 over the area. There's an RC-26B out of Milwaukee, but not sure if he's heading to the area as well yet.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Any word if the pilot called for an in-flight emergency before the jet went down?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: glib2

That wasn't in response to this specific crash, but the number that have happened recently.

I’m tracking buddy. I agree with you.

a reply to: Bigburgh

I haven't heard anything.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I see you mentioned they found ejection related material, did they find the seat?

The seat has a beacon transmitter doesnt it?