Air Force, Coast Guard respond to fatal F-15 crash Published Feb. 21, 2008 By Staff Sgt. Stacia Zachary 96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Two Air Force F-15C Eagles crashed Wednesday, Feb. 20, at approximately 2 p.m. CST 60 miles south of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico killing one pilot. The aircraft were assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing. At the time of the accident, the pilots were conducting a routine training sortie over the gulf - approximately 77 miles southeast of Eglin. At approximately 2 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard received a distress call, and crews later located and rescued the two downed F-15C Eagle pilots at approximately 5 p.m. An AC-130H Hercules gunship and a CV-22 Osprey from the 1st Special Operations Wing were diverted from a training sortie to aid in the search and rescue mission. An HC-144A Ocean Sentry from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., spotted the first pilot and radioed the crew of the fishing vessel, Nina, who picked up the pilot. The pilot was later hoisted into a HH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard ATC Mobile. A Jayhawk rescue helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., located and rescued the second pilot. The two pilots were taken to Eglin Air Force Base hospital where one pilot was pronounced dead. The other is listed in good condition. No other information has been released at this time due to next of kin notification.