F-16 totaled on takeoff by flat tire

F-16 totaled on takeoff by flat tire
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 30, 2008 17:53:43 EST

Low tire pressure led to the loss of a $24 million fighter — at least that’s the conclusion of an accident investigation board that looked into the July 15 crash of an F-16 at Balad Air Base in Iraq.

The Pacific Air Forces board said the crash was primarily the fault of maintainers who failed to inspect correctly the jet’s front tire.

“Accurate and truthful tire pressure checks, coupled with more diligent nose tire inspections, would have prevented this mishap,” wrote board president Col. Brent A. Johnson of Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

The F-16’s pilot safely ejected from the jet as it rolled and skidded out of control down the Balad runway. The aircraft and pilot were deployed to Balad from Misawa Air Base, Japan and were assigned to the 13th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The pilot was the commander of the deployed squadron.

Investigators found that after the front tire was replaced earlier on July 15, the jet’s maintenance team failed to check the tire pressure and that no one prior to the take off noticed that the tire was low. Investigators decided the tire was under inflated based on a picture of the plane taken about 2 1/2 hours before take off and an analysis of tire debris.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/01/airforce_f16_balad_accident_080130w/



uhc comment: Read the full report --> http://www.militarytimes.com/static/projects/pages/013008f16report.pdf