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Dutch F-16 belly lands at Charleroi-Gosselies airport
April 8, 2011 (by
Bjorn Claes) -
Earlier this morning Dutch F-16 #J-640 from 312 squadron belly landed at Charleroi-Gosselies airport.
The airframe was due to arrive at the SABCA factory for some modification work and repainting in anticipation of it being transferred to Chile in September of 2011.
The Dutch government has sold 18 F-16s to Chile in 2009. Twelve of those have already departed the Netherlands to their new home country. This airframe is one of the final six airframes that need to be transferred.
When performing a touch-and-go the nosewheel collapsed and the F-16 slid down the runway on its belly. The pilot escaped uninjured from the crippled airframe.
It will now have to be checked whether this airframe can still be repaired or that it will be replaced by another example for the Chilean Air Force.
The Dutch government has sold 18 F-16s to Chile in 2009. Twelve of those have already departed the Netherlands to their new home country. This airframe is one of the final six airframes that need to be transferred.
When performing a touch-and-go the nosewheel collapsed and the F-16 slid down the runway on its belly. The pilot escaped uninjured from the crippled airframe.
It will now have to be checked whether this airframe can still be repaired or that it will be replaced by another example for the Chilean Air Force.
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- Chile close to deal for 18 F-16s from The Netherlands (2009-04-29)
- Chile to increase F-16 fleet to 44 (2008-10-11)
- F-16 Fighting Falcon news archive
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- Belly landing RNLAF F-16AM J-640@Charleroi 8 April ( 22 replies)
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