Overview
On 23 March 2022, a United States Air Force F-16CM, tail number 89-2142, crashed in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana. The aircraft was assigned to the 138th Fighter Wing, 125th Fighter Squadron, Air National Guard, based at Tulsa Air National Guard Base, Oklahoma, with duties at Detachment 1, Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston, Texas. The mishap pilot ejected safely before impact and sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact, with a total loss valued at $26,950,985. The crash occurred on private land in a desolate area, causing only superficial landscape damage.
Mission and Sequence of Events
The mishap flight's mission was to practice an Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) launch of two F-16s out of Ellington Field as part of a North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) mission. The mishap pilot was number two of a two-ship formation. After the ACA launch, the flight conducted continuation training in the Warrior Military Operating Area (MOA) near Beauregard Parish. The planned exercises included intercepts and air-to-air refueling. The first intercept exercise was uneventful. Following this, the mishap pilot discovered a general aviation (GA) aircraft below the MOA, flying at 1,700 feet mean sea level (MSL). The mishap flight lead directed the formation to intercept the GA aircraft with a training objective of accomplishing a low/slow Visual Identification (VID) intercept. During this unplanned and uncoordinated intercept, the mishap pilot failed to maintain positive aircraft control in a low airspeed state. The pilot incorrectly assessed that the aircraft had departed controlled flight below uncontrolled ejection minimums, resulting in the pilot ejecting.
Findings
The Accident Investigation Board President found, by a preponderance of the evidence, the cause of the mishap was the mishap pilot's ejection following his incorrect assessment that the aircraft had departed controlled flight. The pilot inadvertently placed the Digital Backup (DBU) switch to BACKUP, leading to an incorrect assessment of a departure from controlled flight and a misperceived inability to recover the aircraft before initiating ejection. The Board President also identified two substantially contributing factors: 1) lack of flight leadership and 2) lack of flight discipline, in the mishap flight lead and mishap pilot's violation of various training rules, including intercepting a non-participating GA aircraft and incorrectly handling the F-16 in a low speed and low altitude environment.
Aftermath
There were no fatalities. The mishap pilot ejected safely and sustained minor injuries. Search and rescue efforts were conducted, and the pilot was recovered. The aircraft was destroyed on impact.