USAF F-16 engine on fire, dump fuel tank into Japs lake Lao Gui Kor!

[think_lees]

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-...-jet-drops-fuel-tanks-japan-lake-after-engine

US F-16 fighter jet drops fuel tanks in Japan lake after engine catches fire
The incident is the latest in a string of accidents involving the US military that have prompted concern from Japanese officials

PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 20 February, 2018, 2:25pm
UPDATED : Tuesday, 20 February, 2018, 4:13pm
Comments:

Agence France-Presse
0
19 Feb 2018
Japan’s defence ministry demanded explanations Tuesday from the US military after a fighter jet experiencing an engine fire dropped two fuel tanks into a lake in the country’s north.

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The incident, which caused no injuries, is the latest in a string of accidents involving the US military that have prompted concern from Japanese officials and renewed criticism of the US military presence in the country.

“We are asking the US side to explain what happened and its cause, and we fully demand the US side take prevention measures,” Japan’s Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told a press conference.

The F-16 took off from the Misawa Air Base in northern Japan’s Aomori region early on Tuesday morning and immediately experienced an engine fire, Onodera said.

“The US military has told us that it discarded two exterior tanks on Lake Ogawara just north of Misawa Air Base and landed back at Misawa Air Base,” Onodera said.

In a statement, the US military confirmed that one of its F-16s had been forced to “jettison two external fuel tanks into an unpopulated area” after an engine fire broke out.

“The safety of our airmen and our Japanese neighbours is our number one priority during flying operations,” said Colonel Scott Jobe, the 35th Fighting Wing commander.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this incident.”

The case follows a string of accidents involving US military aircraft, for which US Secretary of Defence James Mattis apologised to Onodera last month.

US military helicopters made at least three emergency landings in the southern region of Okinawa in January alone.

In December, a window from a US military helicopter fell onto a school ground in Okinawa, and in October a US military helicopter burst into flames after landing in an empty field on Okinawa.

 

[think_lees]

http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201802200017.html



UPDATE: U.S. fighter dumps fuel tanks during flight after engine fire
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

February 20, 2018 at 14:30 JST

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A part believed to have fallen from a U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet into Lake Ogawarako in Aomori Prefecture on Feb. 20 (Provided by Ogawarako fisheries cooperative)

• 

A U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jet caught fire in flight early Feb. 20, forcing the pilot to dump two fuel tanks into Lake Ogawarako in northern Aomori Prefecture.

Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera touched upon the incident involving the plane based at Misawa Air Base during a morning news conference.

The fire broke out in the engine after the F-16 took off around 8:40 a.m.

There were no immediate reports of injuries to the pilot or anyone on the ground.

According to Defense Ministry officials, the F-16 belongs to the 35th Fighter Wing. Immediately after takeoff, the pilot noticed a fire near the plane's engine and called in an emergency.

The pilot told air traffic control the fuel tanks would be dumped to prevent the rest of the plane catching fire as well as to lighten the load for landing.

The fighter jet returned safely to base about two minutes after taking off.

Defense Ministry officials who ventured out into Lake Ogawarako reported seeing floating oil and parts on the lake surface.

"Fundamentally, flights should only be conducted after sufficient safety measures have been secured," Onodera told reporters. "We will ask U.S. officials why such an incident occurred and ask that they implement measures to prevent a recurrence."

In response to inquiries from The Asahi Shimbun, an official at Misawa Air Base said no new information was available.

Misawa Air Base is used jointly by the U.S. Air Force and the Air Self-Defense Force. In addition to the F-16 fighter jets, the ASDF's F-2 fighter jets and E-2C early warning aircraft are based at Misawa, which has a runway of about 3,000 meters.

According to the Tohoku town government, Lake Ogawarako is known as a fishing ground for clams, smelt and icefish.

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http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-02/20/c_136986568.htm

U.S. fighter jet dumps fuel tanks into lake after engine fire in N. Japan
Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-20 12:01:37|Editor: Liu



TOKYO, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- An F-16 fighter jet belonging to the U.S. Misawa Airbase in northern Japan caught fire shortly after taking off on Tuesday morning, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

Citing reports from the U.S. military, Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said that a fire in the plane's engine broke out as soon as the F-16 jet took off at around 8:39 a.m. local time from the Misawa Airbase in Aomori Prefecture.

The fire forced the pilot to dump the plane's two external fuel tanks into the nearby Ogawara Lake, located to the north of the airbase. The fighter jet returned to the base at 8:42 a.m. local time.

The dumping of the fuel tanks is one of the standard procedures in response to an engine fire to ensure the tanks, themselves loaded with fuel, don't explode.

The release of the tanks also greatly lightens the weight of the plane so it can be better maneuvered under duress.

There has been no report of injuries or damage on the ground or in the lake where the tanks were jettisoned.

As the number of U.S. military aircraft-linked accidents and mishaps continues to rise disproportionately of late, Onodera said he will seek explanations from the U.S. side as to why this latest incident occurred and demand that measures be taken to prevent the recurrence of such mishaps.

KEY WORDS:U.S.

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[tanwahtiu]

Angmoh simple explanation.

Planes that are not Made In Japan failed miserably.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-...-jet-drops-fuel-tanks-japan-lake-after-engine

US F-16 fighter jet drops fuel tanks in Japan lake after engine catches fire
The incident is the latest in a string of accidents involving the US military that have prompted concern from Japanese officials

PUBLISHED : Tuesday, 20 February, 2018, 2:25pm
UPDATED : Tuesday, 20 February, 2018, 4:13pm
Comments:

Agence France-Presse
0
19 Feb 2018
Japan’s defence ministry demanded explanations Tuesday from the US military after a fighter jet experiencing an engine fire dropped two fuel tanks into a lake in the country’s north.

SCMP Today: Intl Edition
Get updates direct to your inbox
E-mail *
By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy
The incident, which caused no injuries, is the latest in a string of accidents involving the US military that have prompted concern from Japanese officials and renewed criticism of the US military presence in the country.

“We are asking the US side to explain what happened and its cause, and we fully demand the US side take prevention measures,” Japan’s Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera told a press conference.

The F-16 took off from the Misawa Air Base in northern Japan’s Aomori region early on Tuesday morning and immediately experienced an engine fire, Onodera said.

“The US military has told us that it discarded two exterior tanks on Lake Ogawara just north of Misawa Air Base and landed back at Misawa Air Base,” Onodera said.

In a statement, the US military confirmed that one of its F-16s had been forced to “jettison two external fuel tanks into an unpopulated area” after an engine fire broke out.

“The safety of our airmen and our Japanese neighbours is our number one priority during flying operations,” said Colonel Scott Jobe, the 35th Fighting Wing commander.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of this incident.”

The case follows a string of accidents involving US military aircraft, for which US Secretary of Defence James Mattis apologised to Onodera last month.

US military helicopters made at least three emergency landings in the southern region of Okinawa in January alone.

In December, a window from a US military helicopter fell onto a school ground in Okinawa, and in October a US military helicopter burst into flames after landing in an empty field on Okinawa.