Military Finds Wreckage of Air Force Fighter Jet in Alaska

[scotchrick05]

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/17...laska/#content

[lksteve]

Originally Posted by scotchrick05

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.

Were the pilot known to be alive, I'd probaby not be offended by your cynicism...

[Green Light]

SOF Truth #1 applies here:

Humans are more important than Hardware.

Learn it. Love it. Live it.

Prayers for his return, his family, and for those who are risking their lives for his safe return.

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.

Just do push ups until the QPs get tired.

[Nightfall]

Originally Posted by scotchrick05

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.

Wow, seriously? Out of that article, that's what you came away with? There is a man missing, someone's son, someone's father, someone's brother, someone's friend. I can't imagine what his family is going through.

[ApacheIP]

Originally Posted by scotchrick05

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/17...laska/#content

Dang....that 143mil was just "stuff".

The pilot was the most important thing in that titanium and aluminum box.

Calibrate mate.

[Oldrotorhead]

Originally Posted by scotchrick05

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/17...laska/#content

I had a friend and classmate in flight school. His name was Dale Pierce, he is now considered KIA, body not recovered. There were three others on board the UH-1 that are in the same status. I think of him even after almost 40 years. Do you think anyone gives a shit about the eqipment lost. You need to get your mind right or find another calling.

[rdret1]

We are keeping the pilot in our thoughts and prayers. May he come home safely.

[Requiem]

Prayers out for the pilot, search & rescue crews and the family.

Not welcome news at all, especially coming on the heels of the C-17 crash here in July. Our community here is small and these things hurt not just the family, but the rest of us as well.

Susan

Originally Posted by scotchrick05

Heres another $143 Million down the tube.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/17...laska/#content

SF Candidate? Hope you wash out. I wouldn't want you serving on an A-Team and wondering if you'd leave your buddies to rescue an expensive piece of hardware.

[Requiem]

R.I.P Capt. Jeffrey Haney

Air Force says pilot died in F-22 crash

TRAINING FLIGHT: Investigators have not found any remains yet.

By CASEY GROVE
casey.grove@adn.com

Published: November 20th, 2010 12:36 AM
Last Modified: November 20th, 2010 01:45 AM

The pilot of an F-22 Raptor fighter jet that went down Tuesday during a training flight over Interior Alaska died in the crash, Col. Jack McMullen, commander of the Air Force's 3rd Wing, said Friday.

At a brief press conference on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, where the plane was based, McMullen said evidence at the scene of the crash about 100 miles north of Anchorage and south of the Denali Highway, including pieces of Capt. Jeff Haney's flight suit and other personal affects, led investigators to the conclusion that he didn't survive. Part of the aircraft's ejection seat was also found at the scene.

"Sadly, we can no longer consider this a search and rescue operation but must now focus on recovery operations," McMullen said.

"We have not found the body yet or discovered any remains," he said.

The single-seat F-22 vanished from radar and broke off communications about an hour and 20 minutes into nighttime training maneuvers with another F-22, McMullen said.

"The weather was beautiful. It was a clear night, about 77 to 80 percent moon illumination," McMullen said at the press conference. "You could see the ground, you could see mountains, you could see the terrain. So it was a great night to fly airplanes."

McMullen said the planes were about 10 miles apart, with Haney's jet in front, as Haney was making a 180-degree turn to rejoin the other plane to fly home. They were passing each other about 2 miles apart when contact with Haney was lost.

An emergency locator transmitter would have been activated if the pilot had ejected but no such signal was detected, McMullen said.

The $143 million aircraft augured into the ground in a snow-covered valley between two mountains, he said.

An Air Force photograph of the crash scene taken from the air shows a crater surrounded by a darkened area.

"It looks like basically an 18- to 20-foot round hole, and it's got water, I don't know how much water is in it now, and it's starting to freeze over," McMullen said.

There was wreckage inside and out of the crater, McMullen said.

About 130 Air Force and Army personnel would continue searching for Haney's remains and gather evidence from the crash site, still a daunting task, base spokesman John Pennell said. Officials were uncertain how long military people and equipment would remain on the scene.

"We are really in the process now of determining how we're going to get the airplane and what type of equipment we need," McMullen said. "This is going to be a fairly long process."

McMullen said an interim investigation team was at the scene of the crash Friday. Recovery operations could take weeks, he said, and an investigation board would look at why the plane went down.

Searchers arrived at the crash site Friday afternoon after driving about 60 miles east from Cantwell on the closed-for-winter Denali Highway to a shuttered wilderness lodge about two miles past a bridge over the Susitna River. The lodge is serving as headquarters for the operation.

The two convoys driving north from Anchorage to Cantwell Thursday were stalled by snow and wind, Pennell said. A second convoy was en route Friday carrying the equivalent of four C-17 Globemaster loads full of supplies, according to the military. The C-17 can carry a maximum payload of 170,900 pounds, according to Boeing, its manufacturer.

To get to the lodge, the Army and Air Force had some help from the state Department of Transportation, which plowed a way through the snow on the gravel highway. The lodge is about 60 miles east of Cantwell a couple miles past the Susitna River.

"It's hard to put what we're doing into words," Air Force Lt. Col. Scott Jackson, Emergency Operations Center director, said in a release. "What we're doing is like building a small city of support to supply the site. We're setting up an airport and hotel in the middle of nowhere, essentially."

Search coordinators continued to watch the cold: Temperatures in the area dropped to 10 below zero Friday, with a wind chill of 20 below. Similar temperatures were expected Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Keeping their personnel fed and warm was a priority in the cold weather, Pennell said.

"Alaska can kill you pretty quick like that," Pennell said.

The Air Warrior Courage Foundations has set up an education fund for Haney's children, according to a statement from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson released Friday. Information on the fund is available from Capt. Tyler Ellison at 551-5250 or ellisonTM@hotmail.com.


Read more: http://www.adn.com/2010/11/19/156343...#ixzz15qGAi5Ht

[rdret1]

A sad conclusion to the story. Rest in Peace Cpt. Haney. Thank you for your service. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Rest in Peace Capt. Haney, thank you for your service.

Sleep well Warrior.

[TrapLine]

Rest in peace, Capt. Haney. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. My prayers are with your family.

[BoyScout]

Prayer are out. Rest in peace Captain.

[Gypsy]

Rest in Peace, Captain Haney.