Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search

DAY TWELVE: COMBAT OPERATIONS continued

     MISSION IV:  Only six aircraft were able to take off for this
mission as aircraft nos. 29l had EPU and 296 had jet fuel starter
problems. There were no replacement aircraft available for this
mission. In route to the target, aircraft no. 552 bad to abort the
mission because of an environmental control (ECS) problem. The
remaining five F-l6's proceeded to the target where all aircraft
dropped their bombs. None of the planes dropped their wing tanks and
none experienced battle damage.
     Lead Pilot: Major Timothy R. Rush                    A/C Tail No.: 306

    DAILY LOG: In between the first and second missions, an in-flight
emergency was sounded as a commercial Boeing 707 reported having two
engines out and 100,000 pounds of fuel on board. The alarm was set off
at 0620 hours and tbe aircraft with tail no. NID 78V landed at A1 Kbarj
AFB at 0635 hours. Security policemen and fire department personnel
converged on tbe commercial carrier as it taxied to the end of the
runway. A short time later, the all clear was given. Tbe aircraft was
later identified as a Defense Department contract carrier named Buffalo
Airlines of Waco, Texas.
     One of the emergency power unit aborts caused some maintenance
personnel to be exposed to hydrazine. Aircraft no. 532 aborted at tbe
end-of-the-runway for a Halon problem. Upon returning to tbe warm-up
ramp, the pilot turned the fuel switch off causing tbe airplane's
generator to go off-line. These events fired the hydrazine exposing
four persons to tbe substance. The individuals were taken to tbe base
hospital for overnight observation.







                                                       22

Document Page: First | Prev | Next | All | Image | This Release | Search