An F-16 fighter jet crashed at Antofagasta’s Cerro Moreno International Airport (ANF) in Northern Chile during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The accident happened at 5:35 a.m. when the pilot experienced difficulties shortly after take-off. According to an official statement released by the Chilean Air Force (FACH), the pilot escaped unharmed and the jet suffered only “minor damage.” No one else was involved in the incident and an investigation is underway.
The statement reports that one of the F-16’s tires burst while the unnamed pilot from the Fifth Air Brigade was taking-off, forcing him to initiate an emergency landing on the runway. An emergency services unit was deployed and the report notes also state that the emergency maneuver was “successful.”
As a result, many commercial flights to and from the airport have been temporarily suspended until further notice, leaving hundreds of people stranded at ANF and other airports, including Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benítez Airport — the country’s largest international hub. The Fifth Air Brigade’s headquarters are located at the Cerro Moreno Air Base, which shares runways with ANF.
Grainy footage, shot by airport surveillance cameras, shows an explosion as the jet crash lands. Ricardo Gutiérrez, the secretary general of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA), told Radio Bío Bío that a cleanup operation is underway.
“We must make sure that the runway is absolutely clean, as any stray objects could damage other aircrafts taking off,” he said.
At 9:30 a.m., FACH staff started to remove the jet from the runway in an effort to return regular service to the airport, which receives a high level of air traffic due to its proximity to several mining operations in the area. Many flights heading to ANF are being diverted to both El Loa Airport, which serves Calama, and Iquique’s Diego Aracena International Airport, causing a delay of at least three hours on all domestic flights to the North.
Passengers are advised to check the Antofagasta airport website for travel updates.
The accident is the most serious FACH incident since a crash in March killed a pilot and a mechanic from the acrobatic “Falcons” squadron. The men were killed when their Extra 300L aircraft crashed near the Quintenero Air Base.
On Sept. 2, 2011, a FACH Casa C-212 Aviocar 300DF plane crashed into the sea off the Juan Fernández Islands, 373 miles west of Chile, following strong winds. All 21 people on board died. Chile’s Air Accident Investigation Board (JIAA) concluded that FACH personnel had failed to follow established protocol for landing.
By George Nelson (nelson@santiagotimes.cl)
Copyright 2013 - The Santiago Times
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