A T-6 Texan II trainer crashed at approximately 5:50 p.m. July 9 in a sparsely populated area of Webster County, Miss., about 40 miles west of Columbus Air Force Base, according to a July 10 release from the 14th Flying Training Wing at Columbus. The pilot, an international officer whose name was withheld pending coordination with the appropriate embassy, ejected safely. The officer was participating in the Aviation Leadership Program, which provides undergraduate flying training. According to the release, the 14th FTW planned to continue T-1A and T-38C pilot training operations today with T-6A operations expected to resume this weekend. The Air Force has convened a board to investigate the accident.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
