When I first joined this forum i posted a topic with the same name, back then I didn't know how to post pics, but i think I do now so here goes.
In December 2002 a F-16 A block 15 from the royal danish airforce, had a runway mishab.
At the end of an 8 hour mission over Afghanistan the pilot and his wingman were returning to their homebase at Manas in Kirgishistan. The weather at Manas was so bad that they had to return to Afghanistan and land at Bagram airbase.
When they arrived it was getting dark and there were no runway lights, the aircrafts had just been refueled and they were still carrying their entire bomb load. The first aircraft ( E-006 ) tuched down a bit too late and the pilot was so tired that he activated the brakes too late.
Knowing there was a minefield at the end of the runway, the pilot decided to eject ( A wise decision if you ask me ). The aircraft continued for several hundred meters before the nose gear colapsed. The aircraft nose dived into the sand and filled the cockpit with sand. The engine ran for about an hour before it died, and filled the rest of the aircraft with sand.
It took 2 hours to clear the runway for the wingman, when he landed he had been in the cockpit for 12 1/2 hours. The pilot escaped unharmed, and his waingman landed without any problems.
The aircraft is at Aalborg airbase today, it will be repaired, and it will fly again ( in about 2 years time ). Maybe it would be a good subject for a diorama.
Note: all the yellow flags indicate mines.
