F-15 Fleet Grounded After Crash

Officials worry structural defect may have triggered accident
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 6, 2007 4:00 AM CST

The US Air Force has grounded all 676 F-15 fighter jets after a plane flown by a member of the Missouri Air National Guard crashed last week during a training exercise. Investigators believe the crash may have been caused by a structural defect.  A pilot whose name was not released safely ejected from the aircraft when it crashed.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation but preliminary findings point to a "structural failure" of  the aircraft, said an Air Force statement. "It's not a decision we made lightly," said a spokeswoman. "Until we can find out what the problem is, it's the safest thing to do." (More F-15 fighter jet stories.)

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