Thunderbird pilot remains hospitalized; mishap investigation continues

An Air Force Thunderbird pilot remained hospitalized Monday after the two-seat F-16D jet he was flying went off a runway on landing and flipped over in a grassy area at Dayton International Airport on Friday, authorities said.

Capt. Erik Gonsalves was reportedly in good condition at Miami Valley Hospital where he was transported after he was trapped in the front-seat of the overturned No. 8 jet for roughly an hour and a half until freed by first responders, authorities said. He is the team narrator and “advance pilot” who flies to show locations before the jet team arrives.

Gonsalves suffered lacerations and leg injuries in the 12:20 p.m. mishap, Lt. Col. Jason Heard, team leader, said at a Friday press conference at the Airport Expo Center.

Gonsalves, who does not fly during air show demonstrations but narrates the team's performance from the ground, was on a single-aircraft "familiarization flight" with Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Cordova, a tactical aircraft maintainer, as a passenger. Cordova reportedly had no visible injuries and was treated and released from the hospital, according to the Thunderbirds.

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A photo of the Thunderbird pilot in his hospital bed was posted on Twitter on Friday and he tweeted: “Thanks for all the love and support. I’m doing okay. More to follow, I’m thankful for all our friendships.” The Air Force Academy graduate with more than 1,600 hours in the cockpit was in his first season with the team. He is a former A-10 Thunderbolt II combat aviator, according to his biography.

The Air Force will investigate the cause of the mishap, Tech. Sgt. Christopher Boitz, a Thunderbirds spokesman, said Monday.

Heard said the injured Thunderbird aviator was “a very experienced fighter pilot.”

The Thunderbirds took-off from Dayton International Airport Monday morning and headed to their home base at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and expected to resume flight training on Tuesday, a team statement said. The heavily damaged Thunderbird jet was expected to be brought to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but a timeline was not immediately available, said Wright-Patterson spokeswoman Marie Vanover. A C-17 Globemaster III cargo jet based at Wright-Patt flew Thunderbird team personnel and maintenance equipment to the Nevada base Monday.

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The Thunderbirds were expected to have a press conference Thursday at their next show site, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Mich., said Master Sgt. Chrissy Best, a team spokeswoman. Six F-16 jets were scheduled to perform aerobatics over Grand Traverse Bay at the northern Michigan airshow. The team typically brings two spare jets for VIP and media flights and to fly as a back-up if needed.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy brought heavy rain and wind to the Miami Valley region Friday, but authorities have not said if weather played a factor in the mishap.

Michael L. Barr, an aviation safety expert and former F-4 and F-100 fighter pilot who was part of prior Air Force aviation accident investigation boards, said the investigation will look at two primary issues: Did a mechanical issue happen on the plane and what procedures were followed during the landing.

“They’ll do an investigation just like (the National Transportation Safety Board) does,” he said.

The intent is to find out what happened and prevent a similar incident in the future, said Barr, a retired University of Southern California aviation safety instructor. The former fighter pilot flew more than 100 combat missions over Vietnam.

Two former F-16 pilots interviewed by this news outlet said the weather could have played a role in the accident.

“A 30 mile-an-hour gust of wind would have an effect,” Rick Lohnes, a retired Air Force colonel and president of the Clark County Board of Commissioners who flew the F-16 when the jets were stationed at Springfield Air National Guard Base. “With all that rain if the main landing gear got off the taxiway into the mud that would make it easier to flip over.”

He said the plane’s weight is comparatively light and so it must be tied down when parked.

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Ken Currell, a corporate pilot and former F-16 and F-4 fighter pilot, had similar comments.

“(A gust) of wind can get underneath the wing of that airplane and potentially flip it, particularly if the airplane is moving at all,” said Currell, of Centerville, and president of the Air Force Association-Wright Memorial Chapter.

The narrow wheelbase of the jet makes it harder to drive than other aircraft, especially if rain puddles created a hydroplane situation, Currell said.

“Other airplanes are like trucks on the ground,” Currell said. “(F-16 jets) are magnificent in the air. On the ground, they are like the proverbial duck out of water.”

The Thunderbird’s last mishap occurred in June 2016 when a team jet crash landed in a field near Colorado Springs, Colo., after flying over an Air Force Academy graduation. The pilot ejected safely and no one on the ground was injured.

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