The pilot of the F-15C fighter jet that crashed in Augusta County, Virginia Wednesday was described as an experienced flyer who is trained for these type of situations. The jet crashed on its way to New Orleans for routine maintenance. VPC
DEERFIELD, Va. - An overnight search failed to locate the missing Air National Guard pilot whose jet crashed in western Augusta County Wednesday, sheriff's officials said.
Helicopters and ground teams scoured an area near Elliot Knob for the pilot of a downed F-15C 'Eagle' from the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing''s Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass.
Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said ground search efforts would resume early Thursday for the missing pilot. She said those efforts were suspended at midnight.
The Pentagon indicated the jet, a one-person craft, was en route to Louisiana. The pilot made a report of an in-flight emergency, then lost radio contact, officials said.
More than 100 people searched overnight and an HC-130 search and rescue plane joined the search about 3 a.m.
At a Wednesday news conference, Col. James Keefe, commander of the fighter wing, said normal procedure in a wooded area is to release equipment - meaning the pilot would not have a radio if he or she managed to escape the jet before it crashed.
There has been no confirmation that the pilot was able to eject, although the sheriff's office did investigate a report of one witness claimed to have seen a parachute, but according to Geller that was unfounded.
The crash caused a deep crater and a large debris field in a heavily wooded but level area adjacent to a mountain in the George Washington National Forest, officials said.
Wednesday night, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution declaring a state of emergency for the search and rescue operation to find the pilot.
The declaration is a state requirement that allows local agencies to remain involved in the search.
F-15s are maneuverable tactical fighters that can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the Air Force website. The F-15C Eagle entered the Air Force inventory in 1979 and costs nearly $30 million, the website says. The Air Force has nearly 250 F-15s.
Several F-15s have crashed over the past few years in various states. In at least one, the pilot ejected safely. Causes included failure of a support structure for the jet and pilot error.
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