ACC releases F-15C accident report
/ Published December 29, 2004
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) -- AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) A loss of fuel to both engines resulted in a dual engine flameout causing an F-15C fighter aircraft to crash June 18 about 60 miles north of Nellis AFB, Nev., according to an Air Force report released today.
The pilot ejected and sustained minor injuries. The aircraft, valued at $31.9 million, was destroyed on impact. It was assigned to Nellis AFBs 57th Wing.
In the opinion of the accident investigation board president, the loss of fuel was most likely caused by the left and right fire warning light buttons being inadvertently activated, cutting off fuel flow and making it impossible to restart either engine. Based on his experience with the F-15 aircraft, Gen. Hal M. Hornburg, then commander of Air Combat Command, was not convinced the pushbuttons were the source of the fuel starvation, but approved the report as it met the requirements of Air Force Instruction 51-503.
For more information, contact the Air Combat Command Public Affairs office at (757) 764-5007 or e-mail acc.pam@langley.af.mil.