Air Force jet crashes near Callaway
WSLS NewsChannel 10 | Thursday May 6, 2004
An Air Force F-15 Eagle crashed Thursday afternoon around 5:10 P.M. near Callaway. Capt. Robert Strickler of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office said two pilots parachuted to safety and appear unharmed. They were taken to a hospital for observation as a precaution.
The jet was assigned to the 4th Fighter Wing based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro, N.C., about 50 miles southeast of Raleigh. It was one of two planes performing a low-level training mission, according to a statement from the base public affairs office. The pilot, Capt. Darren Wees, and Weapons system officer Capt. Daniel Spier both parachuted to safety.
A person who witnessed the crash told News Channel 10 that she saw 2 planes flying overhead, one with "fire coming out of its rear". She says she saw the plane go down toward the parkway and then smoke rising over the trees. Another person reported seeing two parachutes just before the crash. Franklin County authorities confirmed two people did eject from the plane and are safe.
Whitey Taylor, owner of the Franklin County Speedway, tells News Channel 10 he also witnesses the crash, and saw a piece of metal fall, possibly a wing, from the plane. Taylor says he helped pull the two pilots out of some trees less than a mile from the Speedway and took them to authorities. One of the pilots, told Taylor that they were flying along fine when all the sudden something went wrong. The pilot says they think they might have struck a bird.
Emergency crews evacuated area neighborhoods and closed several roads due to a concern of explosives in the wreckage.