A Chilling Call: Aircraft Down
The Supervisor of Flying, a pilot stationed in the control tower to oversee flight operations on the airfield, received a call from local emergency responders relaying reports of a loud boom and possible fireball. A roll call of all airborne aircraft revealed one aircraft missing. Officers around the base opened their Mishap Response Checklists. An aircraft was down.
The controllers stopped all further launches and began the task of recovering other aircraft that were airborne; the assets of the base as well as the local community were now focused on the rescue and recovery of the downed aircraft and crew. An air traffic controller guided an experienced pilot to the last known location of the aircraft, and the crash location was fixed. Helicopters flown by local law enforcement and the US Marines were dispatched to the crash site. Simultaneously, officers throughout the base began the procedures of securing all equipment associated with the flight–from the maintenance records of the aircraft to the pilot’s gradebook and records. Ultimately, a commander would don his service dress uniform and request the accompaniment of a Chaplain.
Regrettably, the fighter pilot career field is a dangerous one. In this case, Read more