This Tuesday morning (18), the two crew of an F-15QA fighter developed for the Qatari Air Force ejected with the aircraft still on the runway at MidAmerica Airport, in Mascoutah, USA.
The Airport shares its operations with Scott Air Force Base, of the US Air Force. On February 23, the Base, through Twitter, informed that the fighter would be used to train new pilots from MidAmerica.
Who's that new guy in our airspace? It's Boeing's new F-15QA designed for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. Operating out of MidAmerica Airport, formal training and instruction will be given to the pilots of this new aircraft over the next several months–ed by Scott's OSS team! pic.twitter.com/pks31DGOqo
— Scott Air Force Base (@ScottAFB) February 23, 2021
According to information obtained by Fox 2 Now, the fighter pilots ejected with the aircraft still on the ground. The accident occurred around 7:30 am local time (09:30 am Brasilia time).
Later, or Military.com, citing the US Air Force, reported that the crash occurred after landing. The two crew were US military personnel, one from the Navy and the other from the Air Force, assigned to the Defense Contract Management Agency, which works with companies to ensure delivery of equipment, according to a source with knowledge of the incident.
The channel KMOV 4 stated that, according to official information, one of the crew was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, while the other denied medical care while still on site. The causes of the incident were not disclosed.
A USAF statement was released by the The War Zone: “An F-15QA, recently accepted into the Air Force from Boeing Corporation, ran off the runway today at MidAmerica Airport, Illinois. Two active-duty US pilots on board were safely ejected with minor injuries. The aircraft was scheduled to be transferred to the Qatari Air Force through the Foreign Military Sales program. The incident is currently under investigation.”
https://twitter.com/breakingavnews/status/1394660457521336328
The F-15QA is one of the latest and most modern variants of the F-15 Eagle. Designed and manufactured by Boeing for the Qatari Air Force, which acquired a total of 36 units of the aircraft – with an option for another 36 –, the F-15QA incorporates numerous advances in avionics systems and in the electronic warfare suite. The engines were also improved: the fighter uses two General Electric F110-GE-129, more powerful than the Pratt & Whitney F100 models used in the USA.
Its structure was also modified to increase its payload, being able to carry more weapons. The aircraft is still under development. Possibly was on a test flight when the incident occurred.
The model was also used as the basis for the development of the US Air Force's F-15EX Eagle II. The USAF intends to acquire up to 144 F-15EX to replace its older Legacy Series (C/D) F-15s.
*Updated 12:52 pm with screenshots and Tweet from Scott AFB.
*Updated at 16:26 pm with information from Military.com and The War Zone.
