6/14/2011 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- The investigation of the Feb. 11, 2011, T-38C Talon mishap at Ellington Field, Texas, found the mishap was due to the pilot mistaking the landing runway, losing altitude too quickly and allowing his airspeed to fall below a safe level. This resulted in catastrophic damage to the T-38's landing gear and right wing.
The mishap occurred during the fourth sortie of the day as a night solo continuations-training sortie into Ellington Field, near Houston, on a squadron cross-country mission. The pilot, Capt. David M. Cook, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., safely departed the aircraft when it came to rest on the ground and sustained minor injuries as a result of the mishap.
The AIB report further cited inadequate operational risk management of the cross-country weekend plan and a culture of risk tolerance in the squadron.
The report said, "Inappropriate supervisory policy, combined with inadequate ORM led to the mishap pilot flying a high-risk mission profile."
The board further found that the pilot's fatigue substantially contributed to the mishap.
Damage to the T-38 was assessed at $2.1 million. The impact also caused minor damage to the runway, but no damage to private property.
The president of the AIB was Col. Kurt W. Meidel, 71st FTW, Vance AFB, Okla.
Comments
6/17/2011 8:12:34 AM ET Flyer and Heavy Flyer, I do understand how you are not in the Air Force of 20 yrs ago and you are not noners. You cannot make excuses for this guy. He may have been all of the things that you guys stated, but he has the "I'm not flying" ORM option. The people maintaining your acft don't have that option. Also, since he is a pilot, he will be back flying with nothing said because it cost so much to get him to where he was. The maintainer who didn't follow tech data and made a bad call would be in jail. Heavy Flyer, when you finish your next post-mission crew rest remember your crew chiefs were back on duty 12 hours after you landed for another 12 hour shift. I do thank you for what you do but please remember, even though you are not a noner, you're not a cop, maintainer, or 2T2.
Flightline Worker, AT WORK
6/16/2011 9:54:02 PM ET This accident cost the squadron commander his job. Capt Cook is a great dude
Steven, Columbus
6/15/2011 2:42:18 PM ET A culture of risk tolerance and fatigue is the result of the current "do more with less" attitude. I wonder how many hours this guy wasted doing other people's jobs, like correcting travel voucher mistakes, creating DTS orders, waiting 2hrs to get your CAC pin reset, etc. Not an excuse for him not knocking it off, just an observation from reading between the lines.
Flyer, USAF
6/15/2011 12:45:20 PM ET Risk tolerance and flying while fatigued! If we fired the people who let such things take place, AMC operations would halt. It's hard for those who work the standard "rough" 8 to 4:30 USAF schedule to comprehend what several maximum augmented crew duty days are like in an airplane crossing more time zones than you can count.
Heavy Flyer, AMC
6/15/2011 10:42:05 AM ET A culture of risk tolerance and flying while fatigued ... this should cost someone his job if it hasn't already.
