Mechanical failure, error caused Talon crashes

Mechanical failure, error caused Talon crashes
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Aug 8, 2008 5:47:44 EDT

The reasons a pair of T-38C Talons crashed less than two weeks apart, killing both sets of instructor pilots and students, were released Wednesday by Air Education and Training Command.

A mechanical problem with a T-38C’s right wing led to the fatal April 23 crash at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., an Air Force accident investigation board concluded.

Instructor Maj. David B. Faulkner, a reservist with the 43rd Flying Training Squadron, and student pilot 2nd Lt. Matthew Emmons of the 50th Flying Training Squadron were both killed in the crash. The officers tried to eject, but the plane was nearly upside down and too low for either to bail out safely.

The investigation found that the jet’s right aileron failed just before takeoff, leaving the flap in the “full down” position and causing the T-38C to roll to the left as it left the runway. The pilots managed to get the plane level momentarily, but the aileron continued to twist the plane to the left and the pilots could not overcome the roll.

Prior to takeoff, no maintenance problems had been found with the aileron, the report said. However, post-crash inspections found that a lever controlling the aileron had broken from fatigue.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/08/airforce_talon_crashes_080708w/

I always thought they were a pretty solid plane, thus their decades-long use as trainers.

I don't fly (as in being a pilot and all) but can't imagine what it must have been like for them to go through that, or for those watching it.

I hope they check all the planes now, as this is what the astronauts train in locally, too.