F-16 fighter jets inspected for possible problem with ejection seats

The F-16 "Fighting Falcon"

July 17, 2000
Web posted at: 9:07 p.m. EDT (0107 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Air Force ordered the inspection of its entire fleet of F-16 "Fighting Falcons" over the weekend to check for improperly installed "ejection seat initiators," an Air Force official said.

The inspections were ordered following the discovery by maintenance crews that the devices had been installed "upside down" in three of the Air Force's 1,417 F-16 fighter aircraft.

The ejection seat initiator is the element that launches the ejecting pilot and the plane's seat from the cockpit in case of an emergency.

The inspection of each plane takes about 45 minutes and must be conducted prior to that plane's next flight, according to Air Force Col. Johnny Whitaker.

	MESSAGE BOARD
The U.S. military

The measure is technically not a "grounding" since the planes are cleared to fly following the inspections unless the mistake is found and repairs must be made to the mechanism.

Air Force officer charged with 'negligent homicide' in fatal C-130 crash
July 17, 2000
President sparks effort to fight old electrical wiring
June 2, 2000
Possibility of pilot error considered in probe of Marine crash
April 10, 2000
National Guard helicopter crashes in Arizona with 2 on board
July 11, 2000
2 killed in air show plane crash near Philadelphia
June 18, 2000
Army: 40 percent of helicopters 'cannot perform mission'
April 4, 2000
Army grounds Apache fleet again, this time for possible 'rotor pin' problem
February 22, 2000
U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters grounded for inspection
November 8, 1999

The Pentagon
U. S. Air Force
F-16 Fighting Falcon
Lockheed Martin

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.