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US Air Force F-15 jet crash prompts safety fears US Air Force F-15 jet crash prompts safety fears
(about 1 hour later)
The safety of military aircraft combat exercises over populated areas has been questioned after a US jet crashed near houses and a school in Lincolnshire.The safety of military aircraft combat exercises over populated areas has been questioned after a US jet crashed near houses and a school in Lincolnshire.
The pilot ejected from the F-15D before it crashed in a field in Weston Hills at 15:28 BST on Wednesday.The pilot ejected from the F-15D before it crashed in a field in Weston Hills at 15:28 BST on Wednesday.
One witness said the aircraft, which came from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, flew unmanned for "a good mile".One witness said the aircraft, which came from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, flew unmanned for "a good mile".
The US Air Force (USAF) said the accident would be investigated. One MP said he would "keep a careful watch".The US Air Force (USAF) said the accident would be investigated. One MP said he would "keep a careful watch".
Four US aircrew died when a helicopter from RAF Lakenheath crashed in Norfolk while on a training mission in January.Four US aircrew died when a helicopter from RAF Lakenheath crashed in Norfolk while on a training mission in January.
Colonel Robert Novotny, base commander at RAF Lakenheath, said lessons would be learned from the F-15 crash if they are necessary. Colonel Robert Novotny, base commander at RAF Lakenheath, said lessons would be learned from the F-15D crash if they were necessary.
"It is safe and every time we have an aircraft accident the air force does a wonderful job," he said. "It is safe and every time we have an aircraft accident, the air force does a wonderful job," he said.
"Safety, performance, the manner in which we conduct our training and all those things are put through the test."Safety, performance, the manner in which we conduct our training and all those things are put through the test.
"We learn lessons from them, if they are necessary, and obviously we continue to move forward with our training mission here.""We learn lessons from them, if they are necessary, and obviously we continue to move forward with our training mission here."
The F-15D crashed during a combat training exercise, which involves two aircraft. The F-15D crashed during a combat training exercise involving two aircraft.
Sean Maffett, a former RAF navigator and aviation expert, believes this type of training is usually done over the sea, but could have been done over land because of the weather. Janet Prescott said the aircraft were "dogfighting" over her house in Weston Hills for half an hour before the crash.
An aviation enthusiast who claims to have heard radio transmissions from the F-15 before it crashed passed on the information to Mr Maffett. She saw the F-15D come down and said it was "pure luck rather than judgement" that it did not hit houses and the school.
"From what I saw that was not a controlled crash," she said.
"That plane was completely out of control and wasn't manned for the last mile it was flying.
"When it lands so close to a school and so close to house, that, for me, is a major concern.
"It could have taken any number of houses out. Weston Hills yesterday could have been another Lockerbie."
Ms Prescott said aircraft practised dogfighting over the area on a regular basis.
"I think there needs to be a very serious review of what's going on in this area and the level of activity that's happening," she said.
"The activity over the village and area has increased over the last few weeks, where we are getting jets on a daily basis.
"If they continue to dogfight over the village, who says it won't happen again? It's an accident waiting to happen."
Sean Maffett, a former RAF navigator and aviation expert, believes combat training is usually done over the sea, but could have been done over land because of the weather.
An aviation enthusiast who claims to have heard radio transmissions from the F-15D before it crashed, passed on the information to Mr Maffett.
"As he was coming down he [the pilot] was calling out every thousand feet, and when he got down to 2,000ft he decided there was nothing more he could do, and he ejected from the aircraft," he added"As he was coming down he [the pilot] was calling out every thousand feet, and when he got down to 2,000ft he decided there was nothing more he could do, and he ejected from the aircraft," he added
John Hayes, MP for South Holland and the Deepings, said he was concerned about the safety of his constituents.John Hayes, MP for South Holland and the Deepings, said he was concerned about the safety of his constituents.
"I, of course, will keep a careful watch on this," he said."I, of course, will keep a careful watch on this," he said.
"In these kind of circumstances there's always an investigation to find out what occurred and why, and to see if any lessons can be learned from that.""In these kind of circumstances there's always an investigation to find out what occurred and why, and to see if any lessons can be learned from that."