THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220513
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
An F-15C fighter jet based at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton crashed just after takeoff Thursday during a training exercise at Nellis Air Force Base at Las Vegas, Nev.
The pilot, Capt. Michael R. Fontaine, ejected from the plane and was taken to the Nellis Federal Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Fontaine, who has more than 1,600 flying hours in various aircraft, is assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron at Langley.
He appeared to have only minor injuries, said Col. Felix Dupre, 1st Fighter Wing vice commander.
The $35 million single-seat jet went down at the end of the base runway about 12:40 p.m. Eastern time, said Lt. Patricia Lang, a Langley spokeswoman.
Lang said the cause of the crash is not known. A board of officers has been convened to investigate.
The exercise, called Green Flag, is an annual, large-scale, live-flying, electronic combat exercise.
It was the first crash of an F-15 attached to the 1st Fighter Wing since June 1987, Lang said. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
The wreckage of an F-15C fighter jet lies at the end of a runway at
Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nev., Thursday. The F-15 was
attached to the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base.
KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT PLANE by CNB