THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 1, 1995 TAG: 9506010433
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
An Air Force training jet billowing black smoke crashed into an apartment complex Wednesday, engulfing one building and several cars in flames. At least two people were killed and 16 hurt.
The T-38's two pilots ejected just before the plane went down. They parachuted onto the athletic field at a high school and were not seriously hurt.
The plane, which had just taken off from Sheppard Air Force Base, experienced some sort of mechanical problem, the military said.
It was trailing smoke, and pieces were falling off just before it crashed, said Renee Stephens, a witness.
``It sounded just like a bomb,'' she said. ``There was a big mushroom cloud and the whole building was consumed by flames.''
Witnesses said the plane just missed two schools and a day-care center before smashing into the 120-unit Amber Falls Crossing apartment complex four miles from the base. One of the 11 buildings in the complex was hit; four apartments in that building were destroyed.
``It took out about six cars,'' said Eric Struve, who works at a restaurant nearby. ``It hit about 50 feet away from the (apartment) office. A lady that works here was blown out of the office, but she's OK.''
Two bodies were found in a parking lot outside the apartment complex, said Lt. Col. Mike Laughlin, a base spokesman. Sixteen people were hospitalized, he said. It was not immediately known if any were seriously hurt.
Air Force Col. Bill Orcutt did not rule out the possibility of other victims being found in the apartment complex, since not all tenants were immediately accounted for.
The pilots, who were not identified, were assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing, based at Sheppard.
``The pilots are extremely distressed about what happened,'' Orcutt said. ``But from what we know, it was a mechanical problem. There was nothing they could do.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS
Rescue workers and other officials head toward the rubble in Wichita
Falls, Texas. One of the apartment complex's 11 buildings was hit;
four apartments in that building were destroyed.
The T-38 Talon training jet from Sheppard Air Force Base, similar to
this one, had mechanical problems.
KEYWORDS: FATALITIES INJURIES ACCIDENT MILITARY ACCIDENT PLANE
U.S. AIR FORCE by CNB