A T-6 Texan II training aircraft from Sheppard Air Force Base, in Texas, crashed on May 1, according to reports by some base officers.
The incident occurred just before 2: 00 near Lake Waurika, Oklahoma, about 40 miles from the base, according to a post published on the US Air Force's social media.
Air Force officials reported that the instructor and the attendee were saved by being expelled from the aircraft. According to some rumors, the frequenter involved in the accident is a captain of the Italian Air Force, under Sheppard's AFB RAMi. The Italian pilot, together with his instructor have followed all the necessary procedures and demonstrated a very high level of training and above all "coldness". The Italian pilot after the health check-ups returned to base by his colleagues.
Sheppard's AFB RAMI (Representation of the Italian Air Force) depends on the Command of the AM Schools 3 ^ Bari Air Region. Established in the 1984, its mission is to represent the Air Force within the ENJJPT program (Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training) contributing to the training of young pilots from all the nations participating in the program and of the Italian officers who, having completed the Aeronautical Academy, continue the flight training process in a particularly selective and competitive international environment.
The ENJJPT program was born in the 1980 at Sheppard's US Air Force base. Twelve Nations, including Italy, signed the Memorandun of Understanding for the establishment of an international flight school for the training of military pilots, specific for the jet line.
The incident is under internal investigation. A spokeswoman for the base told Military.com that more information will be made available as soon as available.
No grounding for the T-6 fleet after the 5 incident in 12 months, says the Air Force
Last September, some senior officials asked for a "short break" following an accident involving a T-6 of the San Antonio-Randolph Joint Base in Texas. The aircraft fell to around 30 miles from the base the last September 18. The crew launched minor injuries. The pause, after the investigation, has been revoked.
This incident occurred a few hours after the Lieutenant Gen. Steven Kwast, base commander in Texas had spoken to journalists about a security report examining the oxygen generation system aboard the T-6, known as OBOG.
Also last year, the Air Force had ordered an operational pause for the T-6 fleet after the pilots suffered a series of unexplained physiological episodes, hypoxia.
As a result, an undefined operational break was ordered on February 1 for all T-6 aircraft at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Vance Air Base, Oklahoma; and Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. This break has been lifted on February 28.
A team of experts determined that the OBOGS filter and drain valves performed at a faster rate than expected. The discovery led to repairs and increased inspections, but pilots continued to suffer from UPE.
"The thorough work we have done ... to really find out what is the root cause of why we have some problems with the oxygen delivery system for the T6 has revealed a whole range of recommendations and many of them are maintenance related." General Kwast also said in September that the percentage for UPE-related physical problems for pilots is still very low.
"Our responsibility, adds General Kwast, is to know what is happening to make sure we are doing everything in our power to make sure that the plane guarantees maximum safety."
Apparently in yesterday's accident involving one of our drivers, there may also be a question related to adverse weather conditions: "there was a tornado warning based on Sheppard".