Air Force Identifies Possible Causes for F-16 Crash in Chaiyaphum

[snoop1130]

 

The Royal Thai Air Force has identified three possible causes for the crash of an F-16 fighter jet earlier this month in Chaiyaphum province.

 

During a training mission, the aircraft crashed in a field in the Chatturat district on March 8. The pilot was able to safely eject from the plane before it hit the ground. After receiving a request for more information on Friday (18 Mar), the House Committee on Military Affairs held a hearing to discuss the incident.

 

Move Forward Party list-MP Kasemsan Meethip cited a document distributed to members as evidence that the oxygen system, the G-suit and pilot health were all listed as potential factors. The exact cause has yet to be determined.

 

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The probe also reveals that the oxygen system was in proper working order prior to the flight. The pilot was meanwhile reportedly in good health, and a blood test revealed that he did not have any traces of alcohol or narcotics in his system.

 

The jet had accumulated more than 6,000 hours of flight time. On the day of the crash, the pilot was practicing a dogfight maneuver when he appeared to briefly lose control of the aircraft.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2022-03-22

 

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[PJPom]

Does brakes failed apply in this instance, usually the most common cause of any vehicular accident in Thailand.

[soi3eddie]

12 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

On the day of the crash, the pilot was practicing a dogfight maneuver when he appeared to briefly lose control of the aircraft.

Fairly clear that he lost control of the aircraft more than "briefly". It'll take more than a little welding to piece that plane back together.

 

[worgeordie]

Micro sleep takes to the air ........????

regards worgeordie

[Will B Good]

Was the air wet?

 

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Micro sleep takes to the air ........????

5 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Was the air wet?

I'll play.....    Brake failure ?

 

 

 

 

[rbkk]

I'd believe the "black box" evidence rather than any military commitees here in Thailand. Why no mention of the black box/Flight data recorder (FDR)?

[Sydebolle]

"The jet had accumulated more than 6,000 hours of flight time. On the day of the crash, the pilot was practicing a dogfight maneuver when he appeared to briefly lose control of the aircraft." 

I've been around for a few years and it might be interesting to find out, how many military aircraft got non-repairable over "briefly" something during non-combat peacetime moments. 

Or was it a soft push into the back of those to approved the budget for new air toys for the boys recently? Just asking ....... as the budget included some upgraded frames like F-35? 

[Tarteso]

the instruction book was misplaced.

[ChrisY1]

9 hours ago, rbkk said:

I'd believe the "black box" evidence rather than any military commitees here in Thailand. Why no mention of the black box/Flight data recorder (FDR)?

I may be wrong...but the flight recorder would very likely need to be sent to the US for reading....let's see if that happens...I have doubts

[rwill]

Pulled too may G's and blacked out???

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Micro sleep takes to the air ........????

regards worgeordie

Bird strikes a favourite.

[bluejets]

Stalled it.....whoops.

[RichardColeman]

28 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

Bird strikes a favourite.

My money's on a falling bear !

[Humpy]

I doubt if 'Black boxes' are installed in fighter aircraft.

[Hummin]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

"The jet had accumulated more than 6,000 hours of flight time. On the day of the crash, the pilot was practicing a dogfight maneuver when he appeared to briefly lose control of the aircraft." 

I've been around for a few years and it might be interesting to find out, how many military aircraft got non-repairable over "briefly" something during non-combat peacetime moments. 

Or was it a soft push into the back of those to approved the budget for new air toys for the boys recently? Just asking ....... as the budget included some upgraded frames like F-35? 

Can not find how many of those produced who crashed, but there have been many F-16 crashes during the years it have been operating. But an unofficial source state in us only since 1975,  233 F-16 have crashed and 63 deaths.
 

More than 4600 F-16 have been produced

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon
 

The F-16 phase maintenance interval has been extended from a two-phase, 200-flight hour interval to a single-phase, 300-flight hour interval. This essentially cuts the F-16 phase inspection requirements by a third
 

The F-16 was originally fielded with an inspection cycle of four phases, one every 50 flight hours. This has been periodically increased to 100 hours, 150hours, then 200 hours. These increases were based on extensive analysis of aircraft maintenance data.

 

The F-16 airframe is designed so that no depot inspections are required over its long, 8, 000-flight hour service life, a unique feature for military aircraft. 

 

https://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article208.html

 

F-16 crashes by year

https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/mishaps-and-accidents/

[Hummin]

27 minutes ago, Humpy said:

I doubt if 'Black boxes' are installed in fighter aircraft.

Thaiwan had a crash in january also

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/11/taiwan-f-16-jet-crashes-sea-fleet-suspended

 

Taiwan military searching for downed F-16V's black box

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4412671

[JonnyF]

Luckily the plane didn't land on a village or a school.

 

Having said that, it's mainly a peasant area so the military wouldn't be too bothered either way - that's why they choose the area to go practice with their toys.

[Srikcir]

Loses control during dogfight maneuvers - pilot error. Likely a rate flight lost too much speed.

 

 

[internationalism]

just accident during training. Pilot doesn't have to be unhealthy to make an error while learning new technique.

Training air planes are cheap and the old ones, risk of losing such aircraft is calculated.

Pilot should know what happen. Looks, like he has admitted that it was his mistake 

[Brock]

Hummpy, Fighters are fitted with Black Box data recorders.. (Actually they are orange, and they have Cockpit voice recorders as well)

[Megasin1]

Wow, so they just guess, then that guess gets ruled out.....fantastic.......just like car crashes.....dont worry about about a proper investigation.......I know heres one for them......the pilot couldn't see over the dashboard ????????????

[rbkk]

4 hours ago, Humpy said:

I doubt if 'Black boxes' are installed in fighter aircraft.

Not just black boxes I'm guessing....

Do fighters have black boxes?

"Yes, most military aircraft, including fighter aircraft, are equipped with a "black box" called flight data recorder (FDR) / crash survivable memory unit (CSMU) / integrated monitoring and recording system (IMRS) / deployable flight incident recorder set (DFIRS)."

https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/11369/do-fighters-have-black-boxes

More info here specifically about the ageing Thailand F16A/B's

https://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article20.html

[Seeall]

17 hours ago, rbkk said:

I'd believe the "black box" evidence rather than any military commitees here in Thailand. Why no mention of the black box/Flight data recorder (FDR)?

what black box lol ......  MAI MEEEEE

[Seeall]

7 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I may be wrong...but the flight recorder would very likely need to be sent to the US for reading....let's see if that happens...I have doubts

dont agree.....   no country would spend huge amounts and not have access to the black box.....   well.. unless KINWOW MAK MA?