An F-16 aircraft has been completely destroyed after exploding at a Belgian military base, according to the country’s Air Force. Two people have reportedly been injured, and a second plane was damaged.

“A fire was declared during maintenance work on an F-16” in Florennes, the Air Force wrote on Twitter, adding that the plane was completely burned. “A second plane suffered collateral damage.”

Two technicians who were performing maintenance on the plane when the explosion occurred were injured. They are suffering from hearing problems following the blast, SudInfo reported.

The incident happened at around 2:10pm local time on Thursday.

It is a human error that caused the incident. An unfortunate gesture of a gunsmith working on an aircraft. The bullets hit two aircraft of the same type placed in his line of sight.

The commander of the Florennes base, Colonel Didier Polomé, has returned urgently from the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania. He supervised the participation of the Belgian F16 in the NATO air policing mission called "Baltic Air Policing". He explains his incomprehension: "Arriving here, I still tell myself that it is not possible, an accident like this one is almost impossible ... It is certainly a series of small circumstances which, accumulating to this error, it is rarely the fault of a person who made a wrong decision. A two-part investigation is ongoing.Mainly an aviation safety team specialized in accident of aircraft that will check several aspects, including the technical aspect of this incident: was there any failure of the equipment?There is then the legal aspect that will analyze possible human faults and analyze the problem, if fault there was, whether the error was intentional or not. "

Ozair wrote:

Another article on the incident.

The commander of the Florennes base, Colonel Didier Polomé, has returned urgently from the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania. He supervised the participation of the Belgian F16 in the NATO air policing mission called "Baltic Air Policing". He explains his incomprehension: "Arriving here, I still tell myself that it is not possible, an accident like this one is almost impossible ... It is certainly a series of small circumstances which, accumulating to this error, it is rarely the fault of a person who made a wrong decision. A two-part investigation is ongoing.Mainly an aviation safety team specialized in accident of aircraft that will check several aspects, including the technical aspect of this incident: was there any failure of the equipment?There is then the legal aspect that will analyze possible human faults and analyze the problem, if fault there was, whether the error was intentional or not. "

https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detai ... d=10043888

Is it too early to ask when the last time was the Belgian Air Force destroyed another aircraft via a guns kill and even more interesting how many non aircrew anywhere have a guns kill to their name...?

mxaxai wrote:

Ozair wrote:

Another article on the incident.

The commander of the Florennes base, Colonel Didier Polomé, has returned urgently from the Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania. He supervised the participation of the Belgian F16 in the NATO air policing mission called "Baltic Air Policing". He explains his incomprehension: "Arriving here, I still tell myself that it is not possible, an accident like this one is almost impossible ... It is certainly a series of small circumstances which, accumulating to this error, it is rarely the fault of a person who made a wrong decision. A two-part investigation is ongoing.Mainly an aviation safety team specialized in accident of aircraft that will check several aspects, including the technical aspect of this incident: was there any failure of the equipment?There is then the legal aspect that will analyze possible human faults and analyze the problem, if fault there was, whether the error was intentional or not. "

https://www.rtbf.be/info/belgique/detai ... d=10043888

Is it too early to ask when the last time was the Belgian Air Force destroyed another aircraft via a guns kill and even more interesting how many non aircrew anywhere have a guns kill to their name...?

Re the latter: Probably a lot actually, considering the heavy use of anti-air cannons in the many conflicts since aircraft were invented. The majority of losses in Vietnam were to AAA, for example.
Now, gun kills using aircraft-mounted guns are probably a lot fewer.

gunsontheroof wrote:

Does the mech get to put a kill sticker on the side of his toolbox?

Nomadd wrote:

Don't forget the misfire that killed 134 sailors in 67.

bombayduck wrote:

After this it will go on his form for when he leaves the airforce or, put it on the back of his overalls for when he has to sweep the hangers. Thus everyone can stay clear of him, just in case his broom handle is loaded.

Nomadd wrote:

It was a standard firefighting film for decades. Mostly everything not to do. Those guys had balls the size of cantalopes, but fighting fuel/explosives fed fires wasn't their skillset.

AirlineCritic wrote:

Yes, but.... the original firefighting crew mostly died in the first explosion. From then on, the efforts were by untrained people, and, e.g., washed foam off with seawater. Since then every sailor apparently gets training in firefighting.