U.S. Military Jet Crashes in France

AP ^ | JUNE 27, 11:32 ET

[Mr_Magoo]

PARIS (AP) — A U.S. Air Force A10 on a training mission crashed Thursday in a forest in eastern France. Regional officials said there were two dead, but U.S. Air Force officials said there was only one person on board and had no information on casualties.

The plane, a single-seat anti-tank ``Warthog,'' crashed just before 3 p.m. in a forest near the towns of Domptail and Saint-Pierremont, said Staff Sgt. Cindy York, a spokeswoman for the Air Force public affairs office in Spangdahlem, Germany.

``It carried one person on board,'' said an Air Force statement. ``The condition of the pilot is unknown at this time.''

The statement added: ``There were neither live nor depleted uranium munitions on board.''

Anne-Maric Duc, press attache for the regional prefecture in Epinal, said there were two dead, a pilot and co-pilot. It was not immediately possible to reconcile that information with the fact that the plane was a single-seater.

The U.S. Embassy had no comment, saying it was an Air Force matter.

Rescuers were on hand, and police immediately notified the U.S. consulate in Strasbourg, France, the officials said.

[Mr_Magoo]

Pray for the Pilot.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I doubt engine failure and we know the French didn't knock it out of the sky.

[MistyCA]

I don't think I understand. This is a single-seat plane with two people dead? Were these people in the plane or on the ground? And the pilot is presumably living? It's very sad and I pray for the welfare and health of the pilot, but this does confuse me.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Well, if the French say it's a two seater, then it's a two seater. The French are never wrong, are they?

Wouldn't have to be a double engine failure though. Hydraulics failure and then a problem with manual reversion could cause it. We didn't have too many A-10 crashes at Nellis, but we did have a few.

We had one where a Guard/Reserve Warthog was outbound with a flight to work close air support at Fort Irwin. Pilot winged over and flew into a mountain top, no communications with the rest of the flight, no sound or sign of problems. I believe they tracked it down to cold meds the pilot had taken pre-flight.

[tracer]

Ditto prayers for the pilot.

Update (Dissociated Press) -- All residents of the towns of Domptail and Saint-Pierremont and the surrounding area surrendered unconditionally before noon on Thursday....

[antidisestablishment]

I pray the pilot made it out, but would be surprised if he did. I was stationed at Spangdahlem--great base. When I was there, we had an A10 crash into an apartment building with multiple casualties. Nasty business flying in crowded areas.

Anyway, I had to respond to this ``There were neither live nor depleted uranium munitions on board.'' A10 cockpits are constructed of DU, but I am thankful no DU munitions was involved. Never attempt to pacify greenies--you just spread the disease.

[Tennessee_Bob]

The two-seat version of the A-10 attack plane can be seen over the eastern Mojave Desert as it undergoes flight and handling tests. This aircraft is painted in an overall gray "lizard" camouflage. The A-10 has been informally dubbed the "Warthog" by its crews, who care less about the planes looks than for its load-carrying ability and superb low-altitude, low-speed handling qualities. This particular aircraft may be seen at the Flight Test Center Museum.

And for the record, I never saw a two seater A-10 while on active duty.

[Pharmboy]

Tinfoil hat time or not--I would love to know if any of those Algeriomoroccan-islamonazis got ahold of a Stinger...

[Mr_Magoo]

I don't understand it either. I do have to remember that is was written by AP, so anything is possible.

I bet we find that it crashed in a cematary and they expect to find hundreds of bodies . . .

[Tennessee_Bob]

No pacification here. The bathtub is titanium.

There may be DU in the engines being used as counterweights, but the tub is titanium.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Well, it has to be asked so, I'll ask it:

Have the French offered terms yet?

[Reborn]

Praying for the pilot...

[MediaMole]

There was only one of the two-seat A-10s built. It is now awaiting restoration for museum display.

[Bahbah]

Prayers for the pilot and family members.

[antidisestablishment]

I surrender. Must be the French in me. Wait, I'm not French at all; I'm Irish! Kiss me blarney stone. >;)

It's been a few years since I have been around them. You're right but I am pretty sure DU is used in the airframe.

[Alas Babylon!]

Most journalists, because of their left-wing bias, wear their LACK of knowledge of all-things-military like a badge of honor. I am rarely surprised when journalists don't get basics (let alone details) on reports about the military right. Of course, that won't stop them from telling you why a weapons system is a white elephant, or an anti-missile defense won't work, or that the Pentagon is terribly screwed up, or we're losing the war on terrorism.

[LenS]

The regional report of two dead could refer to a person or persons on the ground.

[demlosers]

I believe the A-10 that crashed into a town in the 80's came was stationed at a Forward Operation Location in Germany and was assigned to RAF Bentwaters.

The GAU-8 gun was probably armed with 30mm TP(target practice rds), the only times Depleted Uranium is loaded is for war or an actual exercise that calls for a DU rds.

[DJ88]

"Tinfoil hat time or not--I would love to know if any of those Algeriomoroccan-islamonazis got ahold of a Stinger..."

Unfortunately, that was the first thing that came to mind with me also. I pray (is that okay?) that these/this pilot is alive and well.

[Pharmboy]

Prayer never hurt anyone...and it very well have helped millions.