Second Loss In Six Months For 332nd Wing

ANN REALTIME UPDATE 06.17.07 1100 EDT: Department of Defense officials confirmed Saturday evening the identity of the pilot lost Friday when his F-16 went down five miles from Iraq's Balad Air Base. 

Major Kevin H. Sonnenberg, 42, was from McClure, OH and was assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron based out of Toledo.

The investigation continues into why Sonnenberg's fighter went down shortly after takeoff.

Original Report

06.16.07 1400 EDT: A US Air Force F-16 went down Friday in Iraq, the Air Force reported, while supporting a ground forces operation. It is the first such loss of a fighter aircraft in more than six months.

Officials reported Saturday the fighter went down shortly after takeoff from Balad Air Base, 50 miles north of Baghdad. The pilot, a member of the 180th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard, was killed.

The fighter was deployed to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad.

The USAF states the crash was an accident, and was not the result of enemy action. The downing occurred around 1230 Saturday morning, local time.

The last F-16 accident in Iraq occurred November 27 in the western province of Anbar in which the pilot perished. As ANN reported, Maj. Troy L. Gilbert was engaged in support of coalition ground combat operations that crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad.

FMI: www.af.mil