dnl42 Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 An F-16 apparently crashed near March AFB. The pilot ejected and is OK. The aircraft apparently crashed into a large building (warehouse)? There are some ordnance concerns being worked. The local FD noted the "ordnance was easily controlled." If you're in the area, avoid the 215 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 Looking at the map, that would be directly across the 215 from the runway, Quote "Aerial video from Sky5 showed a large whole in what appeared to be a commercial building. There were no signs of a fire at the building, which sat in the 22200 block of Opportunity Way. California Highway Patrol officials shut down both directions of the 215 Freeway between Harley Knox Boulevard and Cactus Avenue as first responders continued working at the scene" https://ktla.com/2019/05/16/f-16-fighter-jet-crashes-into-building-near-march-air-reserve-base-pilot-ejects/ Quote The jet crashed into a building off the base, on Van Buren Boulevard, about 3:45 p.m., said March Air Reserve Base Deputy Fire Chief Timothy Holliday. The pilot’s condition was not immediately know. The impact triggered a structure fire but it “wasn’t very big,” Holliday said. https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-riverside-plane-crash-f-16-story.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Cartwright Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Another story about it: https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/05/16/f-16-jet-crash-march-air-base/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 Apparently, one person in the warehouse was transported to a local hospital; another was treated at the scene. Video of the warehouse show surprisingly little external damage--a hole in the roof. Interior damage photos show extensive damage. Avoid the area at all costs. Both directions of the 215 are closed, and there's apparently substantial traffic in the wider area. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
echolmberg Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 So the pilot ejected, the plane crashed into the building and there was no explosion? I read in Ken's link that there was a fire that the building's sprinklers put out but, beyond that, there was no explosion from a crashed jet carrying what I can only assume was ordnance??? Eric Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted May 17, 2019 Author Share Posted May 17, 2019 25 minutes ago, echolmberg said: So the pilot ejected, the plane crashed into the building and there was no explosion? I read in Ken's link that there was a fire that the building's sprinklers put out but, beyond that, there was no explosion from a crashed jet carrying what I can only assume was ordnance??? Yes, that's correct. And there was discussion of ordnance in the report. If there was a fire, the building's fire suppression system was world class. Cell phone photos by a building occupant immediately after the crash don't appear to show any fire damage. There's a lot of debris and destruction within the building, but no sign of fire. Quite fortuitous to be sure--but also puzzling... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jonathan S Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 Because it pancaked, the decent wasn't quite as fast and was probably cushioned as it fell through the roof. Glad everyone made it home that night. Think of that F-106 that pancaked into the field and was almost perfectly fine from the outside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 As far as ordnance on the aircraft, from my understanding is this was a training flight so I would think that it was loaded with INERT ordnance, if it was carrying any ordnance at all. When fighting an aircraft fire the first though it fighting the fire is if there is ordnance on the aircraft and fighting the fire to prevent the ordnance from cooking off until you verify that no ordnance was loaded. When fighting a tactical military aircraft fire one of the first questions asked is; "is there ordnance on the aircraft", "how much ordnance and what type" for you assume that there is ordnance loaded until you get official confirmation to whether or not it in fact does have ordnance loaded. Also, you always assume that any ordnance you see is live until it is verified to be inert so the first responders could have seen an inert Sidewinder/AMRAAM and (correctly) assume it was live. Also, engine fire-bottles, ejection seats and canopy jettison systems all have ordnance and precautions have to be taken concerning them. Even though the pilot ejected, you still have to be careful of residual pyrotechnics that may be present. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 That from ABC News, Quote "Every pilot that flies a fighter aircraft that has an ejection seat has to make that decision before they even start that jet up: When am I going to eject? and not to wait too long to know when the airplane is no longer flyable and they need to get out," said retired Col. Steve Ganyard, former deputy assistant secretary of state and ABC News contributor." https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/16-crashed-end-runway-march-reserve-afb/story?id=63090887 Brings to mind ... Quote Ejection Decision - A second Too Late! (1981) 2,541,867 views AIRBOYD Published on Aug 4, 2010 Department of Defense PIN 52563 EJECTION DECISION - A SECOND TOO LATE DEVELOPED FOR AIRCREWS WHO FLY AIRCRAFT WITH EJECTION SEATS. EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING TIMELY EJECTION DECISIONS AND FEATURES LIVE EJECTION SEQUENCES. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
achterkirch Posted May 17, 2019 Share Posted May 17, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, GW8345 said: As far as ordnance on the aircraft, from my understanding is this was a training flight so I would think that it was loaded with INERT ordnance It could still be live. I do believe they practice alerts missions some times and the SD ANG has been at March AFRB for the NORAD Alert mission. A while back the Oklahoma ANG F-16 that crash after take off was carrying live weapons when it took off on an practice alert mission Edited May 17, 2019 by achterkirch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 (edited) 5 hours ago, achterkirch said: It could still be live. I do believe they practice alerts missions some times and the SD ANG has been at March AFRB for the NORAD Alert mission. A while back the Oklahoma ANG F-16 that crash after take off was carrying live weapons when it took off on an practice alert mission Yep, it's now being reported that the aircraft did in fact have live ordnance onboard, a "standard weapons package", whatever the hell that is. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In general, modern ordnance is designed not to detonate during a crash, in a fire is a different story and it sounds like the fire didn't last long enough to cook off the weapons. You can drop a Mk 82 with a fuze (safed) 500 feet and all it would do is go thud. Edited May 18, 2019 by GW8345 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
USAFsparkchaser Posted May 18, 2019 Share Posted May 18, 2019 Probably 2 AIM-120’s and 2 AIM-9’s. Plus they have Hydrazene which a a very toxic liquid. Not sure if it would cook off if the aircraft is on fire, Heck I don’t even know if there was a fire at the crash site. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Napalmakita Posted May 23, 2019 Share Posted May 23, 2019 Maybe he ran out of fuel... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted May 24, 2019 Share Posted May 24, 2019 I've heard the warehouse fire suppression system quickly put out a fire. I also heard it might have crashed due to a hydraulic failure. -Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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