On Friday 17 August 2018 at approximately 1348 local time a US Air Force Northrop Grumman T-38C Talon jet trainer crashed near the town of Mutual, approximately 70 miles west of Vance Air Force Base (AFB) in in Northwestern Oklahoma. The pilot of the jet, who has not yet been identified but is described as an instructor pilot, ejected from the aircraft at approximately 2,000 feet altitude. The pilot, who was conscious and not seriously injured, is being evaluated by Air Force medical personnel.
The pilot of the jet, assigned to the 71st Flying Training Wing, reported engine trouble and was unable to restart either of the T-38C’s General Electric J85 jet engines. After attempting restart the pilot ejected. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the plane went down five to 10 miles northwest of Seiling in Oklahoma. Vance AFB emergency response personnel arrived on site by 1600 local time and have begun an accident investigation. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol brought in a helicopter to assist in the search for the ejection seat.
The wreckage and the pasture land where it landed burned, and firefighters from Woodward, Sharon, Mutual and Mooreland responded. Until Friday, the tenant units at Vance AFB hadn’t suffered a Class A mishap since Sept. 8, 2000, which is an Air Education and Training Command (AETC) record. A Class A mishap involves loss of life or loss of an aircraft. Student pilots at Vance AFB have flown T-38s for nearly 55 years. Currently the 5th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) Spittin’ Kittens and the 25th FTS Shooters fly T-38Cs and AT-38Cs from Vance AFB. We’ll update this story as events warrant…
