F-22 Crash at Edwards

[ShaneG_old]

Just seen a little breaking news snippet, no word on how or why or what happend to the pilot yet. :-/  



But they sure knew how much it cost.

[Anxyous]

Dang...

When I first saw a pic of the F-22 (a screenshot from Ace Combat 5 actually), it was literally love at first sight... It remains my favourite plane in the world

Let's hope, no one was injured...

[C]

Not good. Hopefully he/she was able to use the ACES II get out clause.

[ShaneG_old]

Official word is that this is the first operational loss of an F-22.

Nothing yet on the cause or the pilot.


Getting the first live shots on scene, but they don't show much other than a black smudge on the ground.

[Isak922]

http://airforcetimes.com/news/2009/03/a ... h_032509w/



Very sad to see that the pilot seems to no longer be with us.

[OVERLORD_CHRIS]

3/25/2009 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS)  -- An Air Force F-22 Raptor crash March 25 near here claimed the life of an Air Force veteran and Lockheed Martin test pilot.

David Cooley, 49, of Palmdale, Calif., died when the F-22 he was piloting crashed northeast of the base here.

Mr. Cooley worked as a test pilot with Lockheed Martin, and was employed at the 411th Flight Test Squadron an Edwards Air Force Base.

Mr. Cooley joined Lockheed Martin in 2003 and was a 21-year veteran of the Air Force. He worked at the F-22 Combined Test Force, where a team of Lockheed Martin and Air Force pilots conduct F-22 aircraft testing.

"This is a very difficult day for Edwards and those who knew and respected Dave as a warrior, test pilot and friend," said Maj. Gen. David J. Eichhorn, the Air Force Flight Test Center commander. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Dave and his family as we struggle through, and do all we can to support them."

Edwards AFB officials said they were notified around 10 a.m. that the F-22 had gone down 35 miles northeast of the base. First responders transported Mr. Cooley from the crash scene to Victor Valley Community Hospital in Victorville, Calif., where he was pronounced dead.

A board of officers is investigating the accident through an Accident Investigation Board, whose findings will be released to the public upon completion.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123141485

Truly a sad story