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Air Force

Pilot Error, Ejection Seat Malfunction Contributed to Fatal F-16CM Crash

Frank Wolfe

Friday, November 13th, 2020

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Pilot Error, Ejection Seat Malfunction Contributed to Fatal F-16CM Crash

F-16CM Fighting Falcons are multi-role fighter aircraft used by 20th Fighter Wing pilots assigned at Shaw AFB, S.C. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Pilot error and a malfunctioning Collins Aerospace's [RTX] Advanced Concept Ejection Seat II (ACES II) contributed to a June 30 fatal crash of a Lockheed Martin [LMT] F-16CM at Shaw AFB, S.C., per an Air Combat Combat Command (ACC) Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report. 32-year-old Air Force 1st Lt. David Schmitz, assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw, was piloting the F-16CM during his first nighttime suppression of enemy air defenses training flight and his first attempt at air-to-air…

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