The US Air Force has suspended non-essential flights by its Boeing F-15 Eagles after indications that a structural failure may have caused the 2 November crash of a fighter in Missouri.
The precautionary grounding effects all F-15Cs, Ds and Es, but aircraft deployed to Iraq and assigned to air-defence patrols in the USA are continuing to operate, the USAF says.
The Missouri Air National Guard F-15C that crashed on 2 November was one of four 131st Fighter Wing aircraft engaged in one-on-one air combat training. There was no collison between the aircraft, says the unit. The pilot ejected, receiving minor injuries. The aircraft was built in 1980, says the USAF.
© US Air Force
In a statement released on 4 November, the US Air Force said the cause of the F-15C crash remains under investigation, but preliminary findings indicate that a possible structural failure of the aircraft may have occurred. It described the suspension of non-mission-critical flight operations as a "precautionary measure".
A report on the incident is expected to be completed in 60 days.
This is the second Missouri ANG Eagle crash this year. The May crash of an F-15D in Indiana was caused by a jammed control cable. Four USAF F-15s have been lost so far this fiscal year, compared with one in FY2006.
In April 2002, an F-15C crashed in the Gulf of Mexico after the leading edge of its left vertical stabiliser broke off during a high-speed dive to Mach 1.97. The pilot was killed. The USAF has been progressively replacing the tails.
The USAF operates almost 740 F-15s at bases in the continental USA, Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, the UK and Middle East. The Eagle is also operated by Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea. The aircraft is still in production for Singapore and South Korea.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
