U.S. Air Force Grounds All T-38C Jet Trainers

By The Associated Press

posted: 02 May 2008 1:26 p.m. ET

: Following the crash of a T-38C Talon on May 1 at Sheppard Air Base, Texas, the second fatal accident involving the type in eight days, the U.S. Air Force has grounded all its T-38Cs until it can determine why the two aircraft crashed. The T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, and high performance. It is used primarily by the Air Force's Air Education and Training Command for undergraduate pilot and pilot instructor training. Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and NASA also use the T-38 in various roles. Credit: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Steve Thurow

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) — The Air Force has grounded all T-38C training jets, following the second fatal crash involving the aircraft in eight days, the military said.

Two pilots died Thursday when their high-altitude, supersonic plane went down during a routine training mission, according a statement from Sheppard Air Force Base.

The two-seat plane was assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing, a multinational organization that produces future combat pilots for NATO. The names of the airmen were not immediately released.

The crash follows the deaths of two pilots whose training jet crashed April 23 at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi.

"At this point we have no indication that there was any tie between the two," said Capt. John Severns, Chief of Media Relations for Air Education Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base near San Antonio.

The Air Force suspended all T-38 flights pending the investigations into what caused the two planes to go down. The jets are used to prepare student pilots to fly fighters and bombers.

"Until we have more complete understanding of the causes of both accidents, it's prudent to stand down the T-38s," said General William R. Looney III, the commander who issued the order.

The Air Force has about 500 of the aircraft in its inventory.

First deployed in 1959, the jet has been linked to 138 fatalities and some 189 crashes, according to the Air Force Safety Center.

Of 16 fatalities related to crashes at Sheppard Air Force Base since 1967, all but six involved T-38s.

Pilots from 13 NATO countries train through Sheppard's Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.