Two pilots successfully ejected from a US Air Force T-38 Talon II jet during a training exercise on Tuesday, according to an official statement from Columbus Air Force Base. The aircraft came down in a wooded area of Lamar County, Alabama, close to the Mississippi border.
Incident Details
ABC reporter Austin Pratt, who is at the scene, confirmed that both pilots have been taken to a medical facility where they are currently being assessed by medical personnel. The official statement from the base read: "The cause of the mishap is currently unknown and will be investigated by a Safety Investigation Board."
Background
Columbus Air Force Base is home to the 14th Flying Training Wing of Air Education and Training Command's 19th Air Force. The wing's primary mission centres on specialist undergraduate pilot training using the T-6 Texan II, T-38C Talon and T-1A Jayhawk aircraft.
The incident follows a daring US rescue mission to recover the crew of "Dude 44," an F-15E Strike Eagle downed over the rugged terrain of southwestern Iran. After the aircraft was struck by a shoulder-fired missile, the pilot and weapons system officer were forced to eject into hostile territory, triggering the mission to bring them home before they could be captured by Iranian forces. The high-stakes operation saw US Special Operations forces and CIA operatives work together to locate the airmen in the mountains of Isfahan province. While the pilot was snatched up quickly, the weapons system officer spent a harrowing 24 hours evading capture in a mountain crevice before being pulled out under heavy fire.
The T-38 Talon II is a twin-engine, supersonic jet trainer used by the US Air Force for pilot training. Tuesday's crash remains under investigation, with authorities focusing on determining the cause of the mishap.
