Pilot Dies After 2 Air Force Jets Collide

Air Force Says F-15s Crashed Into Gulf Of Mexico; Other Pilot In Good Condition

(CBS/AP)  The Air Force says one of the two pilots whose fighter jets crashed into the Gulf of Mexico has died. The other pilot is in good condition.

The Air Force says the two single-seat F-15C Eagles likely collided and crashed during a training exercise Wednesday off the Florida Panhandle.

The pilots were able to eject and were later rescued.

Coast Guard Petty Officer James Harless said a Coast Guard rescue jet located one pilot and radioed the location to a fishing vessel, which picked him up. A Coast Guard helicopter then hoisted the pilot off the vessel.

That pilot told rescuers he saw the other pilot also eject, but lost him in the clouds, Harless said. He told them the approximate location for the second pilot, who was found by a Coast Guard helicopter, Harless said.

Harless added that no debris from the jets has been found yet.

Coast guard officials in New Orleans told CBS News affiliate WWL-TV that they responded to a distress call 40 miles off the coast from Tyndall Air Force Base.

The Air Force grounded all of its F-15s - nearly 700 - after the catastrophic failure of an F-15C during a routine training flight in Missouri in November. The pilot safely ejected.

Most were back in service by January, but others were grounded indefinitely after defects were found.

The Air Force began using the F-15C in 1979. The planes, built by McDonnell Douglas Corp., were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm and have since been used in Iraq, Turkey and Bosnia.

The planes can fly up to 65,000 feet and each costs about $30 million, according to the Air Force.

[downsteamjim]

That *** David Copperfield!

[sgtrds]

The F15''s are getting a little long in the tooth. Didn''t the navy retire theirs a few years ago? Seems the Air Force should fill in with some more F16 Falcons until the Raptor comes on line.

[jlmaly]

Missing? MISSING? What does that mean. No where are they saying these planes malfunctioned and the pilots ejected, just that the planes are "missing" and the pilots were rescued. They''re not even saying they''re looking for debris from a crash or explosion. What''s up with that?? Something fishy (no pun intended) going on here...hm....

[cyberus-2009]

*****
he F15''''s are getting a little long in the tooth. Didn''''t the navy retire theirs a few years ago? Seems the Air Force should fill in with some more F16 Falcons until the Raptor comes on line.

Posted by SgtRDS at 07:30 PM : Feb 20, 2008
*****

A **little** long in the tooth?

Both the F-15 and F-16 were in service when I was in almost 30 years ago, and they were built when *planned obsolescence* was the industry standard. Nothing like the craftsmanship that went into B-52s, F-4s and F-111s.

[rafterman1]

===The F15''''s are getting a little long in the tooth. Didn''''t the navy retire theirs a few years ago? Seems the Air Force should fill in with some more F16 Falcons until the Raptor comes on line.===
Posted by SgtRDS

The Navy deep sixed their F-14''s just recently. The F/A-18E Super Hornet replaced them and will supplement existing F/-18C''s.

The USAF has about 100 F-22 Raptors so far to replace the F-15''s. The F-35 Lighting is set to replace the F-16''s for the AF and Harriers for the Marines (and various European forces).

[erasmus6]

They said they hadn''t determined if the planes collided. They must have, because otherwise what would cause TWO planes to crash? It would be a little weird to have both planes malfunction at the same time.

[gkc99]

"Air Force Says The Planes Vanished While On A Training Mission Over The Gulf Of Mexico"


They were searching for George Bushit''s service records!

[alphaa10-2009]

The USAF now wants an armada of F22s costing some $62 billion, or $387.5 million each. This unimaginative Pentagon extrapolation of Moore''s Law proves the sky is the limit to profiting from brand-new black boxes.

Technical problems persist, especially with complex systems. The puzzle-- most pushers for new fighter tech play down bugs as "inevitable", rarely honoring simplicity and cost-effectiveness beyond a token nod in PowerPoint presentations.

The closest this country ever came to a truly intelligent fighter design was the F16. Chuck Spinney made his design so agile, easily-serviced and cheap, it was a stunning example of what America does at its inspired, technical best. Of course, the Pentagon promptly loaded the airframe with all they could, and beefed the engines to counter the extra weight and corrected for handling problems-- and overlooked Spinney''s concept entirely.

The incident of the two F15Cs shows expensive and fatal bugs linger almost forever. Only a few years ago, an F16 flipped upside down while flying over its runway because of a "software glitch".

Such anomalies showcase a paradox-- just when a design is field-refined to be reasonably free of problems, it is doomed to be labeled "obsolete" by those selling a new design at ten times the cost, and full of new bugs. Demonstrating a truth that most IT people fervently believe-- if it isn''t a significant problem, don''t "fix" it before you examine your own motives!

[sgtrds]

Both the F-15 and F-16 were in service when I was in almost 30 years ago, and they were built when *planned obsolescence* was the industry standard. Nothing like the craftsmanship that went into B-52s, F-4s and F-111s.

Posted by cyberus at 07:52 PM : Feb 20, 2008

When I was stationed at Grand Forks AFB from ''73-''77 it was a bomber/ICBM base, so the only time I saw any fighters were a few T-36 Trainers that some of the older pilots flying desk''s would use to stay qualified for flight pay while waiting to retire. Beautiful aircraft! I liked the F-4''s too (saw ''em at a Thunderbirds air show when I was 16 and it made me want to join the USAF), but they had no guns, only missiles, so they weren''t great dog fighters, or so I''m told. I wouldn''t be surprised if some of the B-52''s at GFAFB were still floating around somewhere today.

[debmul-2009]

Thoughts and prayers for both pilots and their families and friends.

[debmul-2009]

Thoughts and prayers for both pilots and their families and friends.

[robertkjjj]

Erasmus6;yes and unprecedented as well. Anytime you EVER hear of 2 military jets going down at same time in same area, it is always because they collided. Period. Remember: these guys fly right next to each other as part of their practice. It just happens sometimes.

[ringading3]

GKC99 is a coward. I dare you to make your remarks and post your real name and address. Coward!

[brianbwb-2009]

Tallmingle.com ~~,seems it is a big ,good news there
Posted by hebe1984

Then go there with your spam, we don''t need it here. Reported.

[j_flood]

May the families of both pilots know of our concern and condolences to the family who lost their son.

I will forever find it disgusting that too many people use this forum to produce vile and forgettable comments.

[tireslinger]

I couldn''t agree more with the post by jflood...this forum and others I''ve seen, seem to draw out weird, inappropriate, and/or ugly comments by people. What I cannot understand is, that someone monitors these sorts of things. The inappropriate and offensive comments, (and I use that phrase lightly), are glaringly obvious...why are they not deleted before they even get here, where others have to suffer through them. If free speech is the issue, then go somewhere else and express yourselves!

[rowdytexan2]

Condolences to the family of the young pilot! God bless!

[zootallures2]

And what about all the civilians these loons have bombed for international corporations and banks?

[dvldog5]

And what about all the civilians these loons have bombed for international corporations and banks?
Posted by zootallures2
And what about your freedoms they have upheald for idiots like you!!!!

[zootallures2]

Posted by zootallures2
And what about your freedoms they have upheald for idiots like you!!!!

Posted by dvldog5 at 09:18 AM : Feb 21, 2008

Is this like highschool where the little guy brown noses the tough guys for protection? You are an immature baboon. God is far more pwerful than the US military any day of the week. God created the real universe, not the city of tiny lights you live in.

[zootallures2]

Don''''t confuse the generally honorable people who serve their country with the "loons" that direct them - the civilian leadership. The leadership - the president - is the one to be angry with, not the brave souls who are on the front lines.

And the F-15C is strictly a fighter. It can''''t bomb anyone.

Posted by rafterman1 at 09:25 AM : Feb 21, 2008

That''s what happens when people worship people and not God.

[mistered9]

If God is more powerful then people. why is all this *** going on.? People are God.

They are blambing the F-15 for piolet error.

[mistered9]

Where would you be today Zootaliures2 if it wasn''t for those piolets that fly these missions? Probably where you now are, in Hell.

[elbo7]

Do you honestly think God is rejoicing, like you are, about the death of this pilot? Don''t spout hate and claim to be a Christian--it''s dishonest and disgusting.

[darbysmom]

It makes me sick to think that some of you are speaking badly about the pilot that died. I live at Eglin AFB and my husband is in the Air Force. I some times wonder why the hell my husband risks his life for your freedom. You may not agree with the politics of this war. But that is not the soldiers that is the government. I guarantee if someone came over here and killed your family you would be crying for the military to give you justice. That pilot that died yesterday was a person just like you and me and deserves to be respected and grieved. You have no idea the sacrifice that military families make to protect this country and the innocents of this war. All you see is the bad. But you have no idea what goes on over there so keep your ******* mouth shut.

[staycalm]

God bless that poor young pilot who risked his life for all of us. And God bless his family and God bless Darbysmom for telling it like it is. The God I''m referring to, Zootallures, is not the God that is worshipped by mental and moral defectives like you but the God of mercy and justice.

[elbo7]

Dear Darbysmom...ditto! Anyone who would openly celebrate a loss like this is sick and completely unworthy of your consideration. The majority of Americans do support the people who defend our country; your husband''s service is appreciated more than you know.

[masterbrat1]

My heart goes out to all the Brave Men and Women who put thier life on the line to protect my Freedom.May God have mercy on thier souls and family.But lets not forget the ones who risk thier life diving down to recover missile ect. We all should be grateful for what we have and be Grateful thier are Brave Men and Women who risk it all for the USA and your Freedom!! God Bless you all. I''ll shall keep you all in my Prayers all THE BRAVE SOULS!!! Thank you for my freedom you are deeply appreciated !!! and in keeping remember the ones who came before you and the ones who shall fallow you. Thank you Brave Souls Masterbrat1 aka Deb God Bless you all!!!!!!!!

[therangedog]

I agree with Darbysmom. Despite the politics, the pilot is a person, a human life. With his talents and education, he chose to serve America. It might not even be a sacrifice for him to become a pilot as he was willing, like other pilots, to work hard and earned his wings. It''s not about riches or material wealth. It''s about our military men and women''s dedication and our freedom to live as we choose. Tragically, the pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. Perhaps the investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot personally, but he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I do know her and I can pray for her and her daughter''s comfort and for the comfort of the pilot''s family.

[therangedog]

Despite the politics, the pilot is a person. He chose to serve America. Like other pilots, he worked hard and earned his wings. It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedom to live as we choose. Tragically, the pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. Perhaps the investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot personally, but he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for her and her daughter''s comfort and for the comfort of the pilot''s family.

[therangedog]

The pilot is a person. He chose to serve America. Like other pilots, he worked hard and earned his wings. It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot personally, but he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for her and her daughter and for the comfort of the pilot''s family.

[therangedog]

Like other pilots, he worked hard and earned his wings. It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for her and her daughter and for the comfort of the pilot''s family.

[therangedog]

Like all pilots, he worked hard and earned his wings. It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[therangedog]

It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[therangedog]

It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[therangedog]

It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[therangedog]

It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[therangedog]

It''s our military men and women''s dedication and our freedoms. The pilot is gone and nothing will bring him back. The investigation will reveal some lessons learned to avoid other training accidents. I don''t know the pilot, but I learned that he is the son-in-law of our school''s speech therapist. I can pray for the families.

[bhappy2-2]

There has only been two fighters in the US inventory, and they were both designated F-4.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive

You really are naive, aren''t you. There are several fighters in our inventory. Aircraft can usually be defined by their designation:
A is ATTACK
B is BOMBER
C is CARGO
D, E and T are Trainers
F is FIGHTER
H is HELICOPTER
X is EXPERIMENTAL
Thus, an AH1J (COBRA) would be an ATTACK HELICOPTER, JET powered.

Just a brief lesson; I know I haven''t covered them all.

My condolences and heartfelt appreciation to the families of these brave men and women who choose to serve in our defense.

[danceswithfa]

Two less airplanes and one less pilot to conduct Bush''s mass murders.

Too bad the people in the military are too spineless to stand up for what is good and right in the world, unfortunately they just follow immoral orders like "good Germans".