Mon, Sep 15, 2003
Aircraft Lost at Mountain Home AFB Airshow
Details are sketchy, but a USAF Thunderbird F-16 has gone down
in the midst of an airshow performance at Mountain Home AFB (about
50 miles SE of Boise, ID). Early reports indicate that the pilot,
Capt. Chris Stricklin, ejected safely, suffering only "minor
injuries" in the incident that apparently transpired at 1515 local
time. The aircraft went down near the field's control tower.
No cause for the accident has been announced, so far, but early
media/witness reports suggest an engine failure of some kind to the
aircraft "that took off last."
Some 85,000 spectators were in attendance for the Gunfighter
Skies 2003 Airshow, and no persons on the ground were reported
injured. The Thunderbird performance was to be the last of the
day. We'll have more information as soon as we confirm
appropriate details.
Capt Chris R. Stricklin
The official USAF Thunderbird bio tells us that
Capt Chris R. Stricklin is 31, and is flying his first season with
the Thunderbirds. He flies the No. 6 jet as the Opposing Solo.
Capt Stricklin entered the Air Force in 1994 from
the U.S. Air Force Academy. Before his assignment to the team, Capt
Stricklin served as a F-15C flight commander, instructor pilot, and
flight examiner with the F-15C Formal Training Unit, 1st Fighter
Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. He has logged more than
1,500 hours as an Air Force pilot, with more than 1,200 hours in
F-15 C/D and F-16 C/D.
Capt Stricklin calls Shelby, Alabama, home.
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