Rachel Nevada must be the airplane crash capital of the United States. Not that it reflects on the pilots but rather the number of airplanes in the area training. Here is the official news release of one such crash. Thanks to Joerg Arnu of the www.dreamlandresort.com for giving me the location of this crash.
Air Warfare Center Public Affairs
4370 N. Washington Blvd Suite 223
Nellis AFB, Nev. 89191-7078
Phone: (702) 652-2750 FAX: (702) 652-9838
E-mail: martine.ramos@nellis.af.mil
or estrada.michael@nellis.af.mil
Release No. 030
Time: 2:05 p.m.
Date: Aug. 3, 2000
F-15 PILOT UNINJURED FOLLOWING CRASH NEAR NELLIS AIR FORCE RANGE
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - A U.S. Air Force pilot is uninjured
following an Air Force
F-15C Eagle crash that occurred at approximately 10:45 a.m. Pacific Standard
Time today north of
Rachel, Nev. Capt. Christopher Kirby, a pilot with approximately 1,000 hours of
flying time, ejected
safely from his aircraft while participating in a Green Flag exercise on the
Nellis Air Force Range.
He was the mission commander of a eight-ship formation that launched as part of
a 60-ship package
from Nellis Air Force Base at approximately 9:30 a.m. Shortly after the
ejection, Nellis' 66th Rescue
Squadron recovered Kirby and flew him back to Nellis where he was evaluated at
the Mike O'Callaghan
Federal Hospital.
This is the first aircraft the 493rd Fighter Squadron has lost since receiving
the F-15C Eagle in 1994.
The last aircraft accident at Nellis Air Force Base occurred June 15, 1999, when
two F-15s from Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., crashed 60 miles east of Tonopah, Nev. An interim safety
board has been
convened to investigate the accident.
If you have questions, please contact Nellis Public Affairs Office at (702)
652-2750.
-30-
Correction: The pilot was recovered by an Army Air National Guard UH-60 helicopter crew from Company B, 1/108 Aviation, Tuksa, OK.
Here is the F15 all gift wrapped by the USAF, waiting to be hauled away. [Photo from 0.4 miles away, which was the nearest location on a road.]
The USAF set up camp near the crash site to make sure the curious don't get too close.
