What happened
On 19 November 2021, at approximately 10:14 a.m. local time, two T-3CO Talon aircraft, with tail numbers 68-8121 and 70-1586, collided while attempting to land on Runway 13C at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. The flight was part of the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program under the 47th Flying Training Wing.
The formation consisted of two aircraft: the first aircraft (MA1) was piloted by an instructor in the front cockpit, and the second aircraft (MA2) carried both a student pilot in the front cockpit and an instructor in the rear cockpit. The mission plan intended for the aircraft in the lead position to land first, followed by the second aircraft performing a low approach.
During the final approach, the aircraft transitioned into a configuration where neither crew could maintain visual contact with the other. While the first aircraft landed successfully, the second aircraft's nose landing gear struck the left horizontal stabilizer of the first aircraft just one second later. The impact rendered both aircraft uncontrollable, leading to their destruction. The instructor from the first aircraft escaped with minor injuries, but the crew of the second aircraft experienced an interrupted ejection sequence following an inversion of the aircraft. This resulted in one fatality for the student pilot and life-threatening injuries for the second instructor.
The investigation
The investigation examined the flight planning, communication protocols, and maneuvering techniques used during the approach. Investigators reviewed the use of "administrative lead" changes, which require renumbering flight members for intra-flight communications, and analyzed the specific terminology used by the crew, such as the phrase "cleared off."
Researchers also evaluated the standardization of the "1-up/1-down" maneuver—a technique where one aircraft lands while the other performs a low approach. The board looked into how different instructors within the 87th Flying Training Squadron interpreted landing priorities based on fuel levels and whether existing guidance sufficiently defined deconfliction responsibilities during this specific maneuver.