I hated going to plane crash recovery. What a mess.
One A-10 pilot was on his last training flight when he nosed-in. His wife was on the road to their next base in Florida and the AF had to get the state cops to stop her and let her know. What a sad day.
This crash was strange in that the biggest piece of the crash was the pilot who was still in his seat and his oxygon mask was still on. I guess the armor plate below the seat kept him together. Only one I had to cut the pilot out of the seat.
At that time, Luke AFB had a German squadron who flew F-104s. Those F-104s crashed all the time but I didn’t mind going to those crashes as the pilots always got out. If a warning light came on, they would immediately punched-out.
A road was built to get to that NTAC crash.
It took 3 days to find. A-10’s from DM. I was there in a truck.
Just things that do not get talked about.
I never was up close and personal.
The Lady A-10 went in upside down and didn’t know it.
That was Range 1 near Ajo. They asked me for radio comm on
121.5 or 243. I did not have it. They had me install recorders at all the ranges following that event.