The board investigating the non-fatal crash of an F-16 from Spangdahlem AB, Germany, on Sept. 14 found that the pilot experienced a “momentary lapse of attention,” on final turn, reports Stars and Stripes. Calling the crash pilot error, the board noted that a well-known “visual illusion” caused by the airfield’s upgrade on one end contributed to the accident.
When Lt. Col. Dustin Johnson was ordered to deploy to the Middle East last year, he and his fellow F-22 Raptor pilots prepared for an unusual challenge. As America’s premier air superiority fighter, the F-22 was designed to take on advanced enemy aircraft, capable of maneuvering stealthily and cruising at supersonic…