Pilot confusion leads to death in jet crash

TERRE HAUTE -- A deadly collision between two F-16s over southwestern Indiana occurred when the pilot of one of four fighter jets flying in formation lost track of his location in the grouping during a turn, according to military investigators.\nThe U.S. Air Force report released Monday concludes that pilot Maj. Thomas R. Sims' "momentary loss of situational awareness during a tactical 180-degree left turn caused the collision" that killed Indiana Air National Guard Maj. William Burchett.\nBurchett, 35, of Arlington, Tenn., was killed May 17 when the right external fuel tank and another part of Sims' aircraft struck the canopy of Burchett's jet, which was the lead aircraft in the four-plane formation.\nThe crash about 40 miles south of the fighters' Terre Haute base spread debris over a five-mile area in southern Indiana and Illinois. After the collision, Sims ejected from his jet and parachuted to safety just north of Oaktown.\nIn addition to Sims' confusion about his jet's location in formation, a contributing factor in the crash was that he also did not notice that Burchett's jet had changed its position and speed, said Capt. Bernadette Dozier, a spokeswoman for Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.\nThe accident report states Burchett had descended and reduced his airspeed during the turn, causing Sims to confuse the formation's third aircraft for Burchett's jet. He then collided with Burchett's jet in what he thought was empty airspace.\n"He didn't see it because of the change in airspeed and altitude. He had oriented himself to a different aircraft," Dozier said. "Part of Major Sims' losing his situation awareness was his mistaking pilot three for pilot one."\nShe said the report has been forwarded to the commander of the Terre Haute-based 181st Fighter Wing to determine whether Sims will face any disciplinary action, retraining or other action in the case.\nDozier said the report issued by the Accident Investigation Board did not specifically state that "pilot error" caused the crash. She said the exact wording in the report is up to its members.\n"Although the verbiage may not be 'pilot error,' it may allude to that by saying 'the pilot failed to ... ,'" she said. "In this case, the primary cause of the accident was Major Sims losing his situational awareness, with Major Burchett's change in altitude and airspeed as a contributing factor"