Base responds to mock accident

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas — Between 80 and 100 Team Lackland emergency responders and volunteers participated Oct. 17 in a Major Accident Response Exercise as the base prepared for this weekend's Lackland AirFest.

The overall response was satisfactory, according to Raul Mancha, chief of the 37th Training Wing's Exercise Evaluation Team. According to the exercise scenario, an F-16 Fighting Falcon came in for a hard landing and its gear collapsed, causing it go off the runway in the Inter-American Air Forces Academy ramp area and burst into flames that caused bad smoke, Mr. Mancha said.

The "pilot" of the plane suffered a head injury in the hard landing and a leg injury in jumping from the damaged plane. Two spectators were listed as fatalities in the exercise, and 10 others suffered a variety of injuries from flying debris.

Emergency responders included 37th TRW firefighters and equipment from Station No. 2, located at Kelly Field, personnel from the 59th Medical Wing and base security forces personnel acting as first responders.