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.

FMI: www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/index.htm