Accident Summary
On 30 June 2020, an F-16CM (tail number 94-0043) assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, was conducting a night mission qualification training flight. During recovery near Shaw AFB, the aircraft's landing gear was damaged in an initial landing attempt. In a subsequent landing attempt, the aircraft departed the runway and the mishap pilot was fatally injured during an unsuccessful ejection.
Sequence of Events
The mishap flight was planned as a four-ship night suppression of enemy air defenses mission with pre-strike air-to-air refueling. The first three aircraft refueled without incident, but the mishap pilot was unable to refuel, requiring him and his element lead to return to Shaw AFB. During the final phase of landing on runway 22R, the aircraft struck the localizer antenna array short of the runway threshold, severely damaging the left main landing gear. After a brief touchdown in the underrun, the pilot executed a go-around, alerting the element lead and air traffic control. Following over twenty minutes of discussion among the supervisor of flying, the element lead, and the mishap pilot, it was decided to attempt an approach-end cable arrestment on runway 04L. During this maneuver, the aircraft's tail hook did not catch the cable, and the left wing contacted the runway, dragging the aircraft left. The pilot ejected, but the ejection seat malfunctioned and the parachute did not deploy. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
Findings
The Accident Investigation Board president determined by a preponderance of evidence that the cause of the mishap was the mishap pilot's failure to correctly interpret the approach lighting system and identify the runway threshold during his first landing attempt, resulting in severely damaged landing gear. Two factors substantially contributed: (a) the supervisor of flying chose not to consult the aircraft manufacturer, leading to the decision to attempt a cable arrestment instead of a controlled ejection; and (b) a series of ejection seat malfunctions occurred, resulting in the pilot impacting the ground while still in the ejection seat.
Background
The aircraft was an F-16CM, tail number 94-0043. The mishap pilot was assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron. The mission was a night suppression of enemy air defenses training sortie with air-to-air refueling. Weather conditions were not specified in the source.