An accident investigation board has found that the cause of the May 30 crash of another Missouri Air National Guard F-15 was a jammed aileron rudder interconnect crossover cable, according to Associated Press (report via The Kansas City Star). The fighter crashed during a training flight, and the pilot ejected, which the board determined was his only course of action. This was an F-15D model, while the recent crash of a C model belong to the Missouri ANG’s 131st Fighter Wing prompted the Air Force to ground all F-15s. (See above.)
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
