An Air Force accident investigation found that the crash of a HH-60 Pave Hawk on May 11 near Angel Fire, N.M., that resulted in the death of flight engineer TSgt. Scott A. Bobbitt, was caused primarily by pilot error. Contributing to the accident, though, were unfavorable weather conditions and “general complacency” of the flight crew, stated an Air Education and Training Command recap of the accident report. The HH-60 was assigned to the 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.