US: 2 air force pilots killed in military jet crash

crash

MONTGOMERY (Alabama, US), Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two people were killed when a military plane crashed on Friday near the Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, according to the facility’s executive director Marshall Taggart, Jr.

The T-38 trainer jet assigned to the 14th Flying Training Wing crashed at about 5:30 p.m., according to a statement from the Air Force.

Taggart said the plane took off from Columbus, Mississippi and was on its way to Tallahassee, Florida before crashing adjacent to the airport. The 14th Flying Training Wing is based at Columbus Air Force Base.

Commercial flight operations were not disrupted due to the crash, Taggart said.

There are houses in the crash area, including a mobile home park, but Taggart said the jet did not hit any structures.

The airport tower reported to Taggart several pilots in the area had complained about the sun shortly before the crash, which occurred about a half hour before sunset. 

A safety investigation board will convene to investigate the accident, according to the Air Force.