Jet Ejections That Made Aviation History

Mountain Home Air Force Base F-16C Crash

Though crashes at air shows are very rare, there is always a risk for both pilot and spectator. One such rare accident occurred at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho during an air show in 2003. Pilot, Capt. Chris Stricklin, was flying a Thunderbird F-16C when he entered a “Split S” maneuver at the wrong altitude after using the wrong mean sea-level (MSL) to make his altitude calculation. He was able to eject himself at only 140 feet, .8 seconds before impact, and only after making sure the plane would not crash into spectators.

Captain Stricken luckily did not sustain any severe injuries, however the $20 million plane was a total loss. The accident had a lasting impact on how the Thunderbirds perform and call out flight instructions. It is now required for Thunderbird pilots to climb an extra 1,000 feet when performing the “Split S”. Furthermore they must use the MSL when calling out to the safety operators on the ground.