The Taiwanese air force says it could seek compensation for a series of crashes that has repeatedly grounded its fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs.
Air force deputy inspector-general Lee Guey-Fa says all of the wreckage from the most recent crash has been recovered. "If we can prove the cause of the crash to be related to engine failure, and find similar problems to have caused the previous crashes, we will demand compensation from the USA according to our contract," he says.
The latest crash of an F-16A at Chiayi grounded the fleet soon after it had returned to the air following an earlier crash at the beginning of June (Flight International, 25-31 August). Taiwan has suffered four F-16 crashes since March 1998, with five pilots being killed.
Taiwanese politicians have attacked the F-16's safety record and criticised the use of Kapton insulation in the electrical system of Taiwan's 150 Block 20 F-16s. The material, which is prone to flammability in certain conditions, has been blamed for several F-16 crashes in the 1980s, and is no longer used in US F-16s.
The air force blames faulty wiring for the short circuits believed to have played a role in some of the crashes.
Lee says it has not yet been ascertained whether the insulating material played any part in the aircraft accidents.
Source: Flight International
