By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
A T-6A Texan II training aircraft from the 47th Flying Training Wing executed a nose-gear-up landing at 1:43 p.m. Thursday at Laughlin Air Force Base, according to base officials.
Two experienced pilots were aboard the aircraft. After landing without the nose gear deployed, both pilots safely left the aircraft and were evaluated by medical personnel.
An Interim Safety Board has been appointed to begin the investigation process, which will include collecting and preserving available evidence, said Capt. Christine Del Aguila, 47th Flying Training Wing public affairs officer. Del Aguila said the safety investigation will run its
course to determine the cause of the mishap.
“We are very fortunate our pilots were able to safely recover their T-6A aircraft that experienced an airborne malfunction today,” said Col. Tyler J. Ellison, 47th Flying Training Wing commander. “I want to praise the swift actions of our first responders, as well as the professionalism of the pilots involved. While the T-6A is an extremely reliable and safe aircraft, our pilots are trained to handle emergency situations like the one we witnessed today. A formal safety board was convened to investigate the cause of this mishap to prevent future occurrences.”
Laughlin Air Force Base is one of the Air Force’s primary pilot training installations, where student aviators fly thousands of training sorties each year as part of Air Education and Training Command’s undergraduate pilot training mission.
The T-6 Texan II is the Air Force’s primary trainer aircraft for basic pilot instruction.
Officials said additional information will be released as it becomes available.
The writer can be reached at JoelALangton@gmail.com .
