Spangdahlem F-16 pilot grounded for flying to low

[Sowald]

From F-16.net.

October 29, 2008 (by Mark Abramson) - An F-16 fighter pilot at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, has been grounded after he reportedly flew well below authorized altitudes and spooked some residents around Nattenheim.

The 52nd Fighter Wing pilot dropped to an altitude of as low as 1,288 feet, or 392 meters, on the evening of Oct. 14, the German news Web site http://www.SWR.de" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; reported. The lowest authorized altitude for flying at that time, after 5 p.m., is 2,000 feet, or 609 meters.

"Normally this altitude would have been well above the minimum of 304 meters (1,000 feet) AGL (above ground level) allowed in Germany without prior German Air Force approval, however, since the maneuvers occurred after 5 p.m., the flight occurred below the allowable minimums," U.S. Air Force officials said in a press release.

Residents told the German media that the F-16 hit its afterburner and made several steep dives and climbs.

The Air Force is investigating the incident with German authorities, and the pilot will remain grounded pending the outcome of the investigation, the Air Force release stated.

"We don’t know how long it will take [for the investigation] because we want to make sure it is done properly," Air Force 2nd Lt. Kathleen Polesnak said.

The wing is coordinating with its legal experts to determine what charges and punishments, if any, the pilot could face.

[skytrailer]

G wiz, I miss the days when low level flying was acutually LOW LEVEL. same happend at Soesterberg with an F-15 pilot in 1993, for flying low level over Woudenberg at 08.10, when bringing back an Eagle from Bitburg AB, and checking if his wife was awake. Problem was their house, the problem was, this was 50meters behind the townhall fantastic, local media made a big fuz about it. End result pilot got grounded 3 weeks.