On 26 January 2015, an F-16D Fighting Falcon jet fighter of the Hellenic Air Force crashed into a flight line shortly after take-off at Los Llanos Air Base in Albacete, Spain, killing 11 people: the two crew members and nine personnel on the ground. Thirty-three others, all on the ground, were injured.[1][2]
Background
Los Llanos Air Base is the venue of NATO's Tactical Leadership Program (TLP), a regular series of training exercises for personnel from ten NATO member air forces. In January 2015, during TLP2015-1, several NATO air forces deployed aircraft to the base, including four F-16 Block 50 fighter aircraft of the Hellenic Air Force's 341st Squadron, supported by 41 pilots and technicians from the 111th Combat Wing, based at Nea Anchialos Air Base.[3]
Accident
On 26 January 2015, one of the Greek F-16s crashed into other aircraft at Shelter D-4 of the air base shortly after takeoff, causing an explosion which killed 9 people. Approximately one and a half seconds before impact, the back seat pilot ejected from the aircraft followed shortly by the front seat pilot half a second later. Both pilots suffered fatal injuries.[1][4]
Those killed included the two Greek crew members of the F-16 and eight French personnel on the ground. 33 individuals were injured, 17 of them severely. The following day, a French airman who was severely burned in the accident died, bringing the death toll to eleven.[1][5]
