An Argentine Air Force (FAA) A-4 Skyhawk fighter pilot died yesterday (15) in an accident with an A-4AR Fightinghawk jet. The combat aircraft crashed during a night training flight at the Villa Reynolds base, in the province of San Luis, in the center of the country.
The pilot's death was confirmed by the FAA in a statement. Via X (formerly Twitter), the Air Force says that the causes of the accident are under investigation.
— FuerzaAereaArgentina (@FuerzaAerea_Arg) July 15, 2024
Unofficial information says that the aircraft may have crashed after a collision with a bird, the so-called bird strike. Images show the wreckage of the burning plane, scattered across part of the air base's runway. The aviator, the only occupant of the aircraft, was identified as Captain Mauro Testa La Rosa. He would have ejected at low altitude
also by X, the vice president of Argentina, Victoria Villarruel, mourned the aviator's death. “My gratitude to our pilot and my unconditional for those who guarantee our sovereignty. Rest in peace Captain Testa La Rosa, may God receive you in his arms.”
(I.e.#Argentina (🇦🇷)
ADVERTISING Video of the potential @FuerzaAerea_Arg A-4AR Fightinghawk crash having taken place at Villa Reynolds Airport.
Large fire seen in video, facing eastwardpic.twitter.com/5mbv1Tz8hF
— SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) July 15, 2024
The A-4AR is Argentina's main fighter aircraft. These are A-4M Skyhawk ground attack jets from the United States Marine Corps, acquired by Buenos Aires in the 1990s to replace losses from the Falklands/Malvinas War.
The aircraft were modernized by Lockheed Martin with avionics found in F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters, a model that Argentina acquired to replace the A-4. Today, around six to ten aircraft remain in activity, all with the V San Luis Air Brigade.
