AF: Status Of Pilot Unknown At This Time

An Air National Guard F-15C based in Massachusetts went down Wednesday in a national forest in central Virginia, according to Air Force sources.

In a release posted on the 104th Fighter Wing website, officials said that the plane went down at approximately 0905 EDT. The 104th Fighter Wing lost radio contact with an F-15C aircraft during a cross country mission over the Shenandoah Valley Virginia.

The pilot flying the F-15C made a report of an inflight emergency prior to radio contact being lost. Subsequently there were reports of dark smoke being seen around the aircraft's last known whereabouts. Local law enforcement arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft crashed.

"Information on this incident is developing rapidly and we are not going to speculate on what occurred or the status of the pilot", said Col James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander. "We are hopeful that the pilot is ok, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers as the events of this incident unfold."

The F-15C aircraft was en route to receive a system upgrade, and there were no munitions on the aircraft during this cross-country trip.

At this point the status of the pilot is not confirmed, the news release said.

(F-15C pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ang.af.mil