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Inquiry opens into US spy plane crash in South Korea
Yahoo News ^ | 1-27-2003 | AFP

Posted on 01/26/2003 9:25:03 PM PST by Mordichia

US Air Force authorities were investigating the crash of a US spy plane which hit a South Korean town injuring four people after the pilot ejected to safety.

The 7th US Air Force said in a statement Monday that it had set up a panel to find out what had led the sophisticated U-2S reconnaissance aircraft to crash.

"The investigation process began immediately with the convening of an interim safety investigation board whose purpose is to determine possible causes and prevent future mishaps," the statement said.

"The investigation will take as long as needed to get right information," First Lieutenant Thomas Mongtgomery of the 7th US Air Force base told AFP.

The plane crashed Sunday into a South Korean rural town 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortifed border, known as the demilitarized zone (DMZ), with North Korea.

The pilot, the only person on board the plane, ejected before the crash and suffered only minor injuries.

Four South Koreans on the ground were injured and the US military issued a prompt apology and a pledge to "make every effort to provide assistance and take the necessary steps to ensure the claims process works quickly and effectively" for the damages and injuries.

Initial compensation has already been paid to some relocated South Korean familes in the wake of the accident, the military said.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the four South Koreans suffered only minor injuries and were expected to be released from hospital on Monday.

The plane can monitor movements 100 kilometers into North Korea, flying along the DMZ at an altitude of 21,000 meters (70,000 feet).

About 70 percent of North Korea's 1.1 million soldiers are stationed close to the DMZ.

The United States has 37,000 troops in South Korea as part of a military alliance forged at the end of the 1950-53 Korean war.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: nkorea
Am I the only one who thinks the last thing this plane did was crash?

Notice where it crashed and how close it is to the DMZ... Me thinks something helped it "crash"

1 posted on 01/26/2003 9:25:03 PM PST by Mordichia
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To: Mordichia
if SK went on alert, then it was likely it was shot down ... if not, then it probably was an accident ...
2 posted on 01/26/2003 9:37:45 PM PST by Bobby777
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To: Mordichia
Re #1

The plane was in engine trouble. I do not know if the engine was in flame. No report on any hostile action from N. Korea yet.

3 posted on 01/26/2003 9:50:25 PM PST by TigerLikesRooster
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To: Mordichia
The S model of the venerable U-2 is highlight by its ability to carry a wide variety of intellegence payloads in a modular configuration. Until now they had enjoyed a long stretch of flights without mishap.
4 posted on 01/26/2003 9:55:53 PM PST by AdA$tra
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To: Mordichia
Should have been able to glide for hundreds of miles to airport!
5 posted on 01/26/2003 10:00:17 PM PST by timestax
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To: timestax; Mordichia
The airplane crashed near the town of Hwasong, which is in the immediate vicinity of Osan Air Base. Osan Air Base is the largest US airbase in Korea and home to the US 5th Air Force.
While not the only location in Korea which may be used by the U-2, they are frequently seen operating into and out of this location.
Unlike most USAF aircraft crashes, U-2 crashes investigation results are not usually made public.

For you nervous nellies out there, U-2 operations anywhere near the northern third of South Korea would be within the operating envelope of North Korea's SA-5 SAM system.
6 posted on 01/26/2003 11:46:48 PM PST by XHogPilot
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To: timestax
Should have been able to glide for hundreds of miles to airport!


5 posted on 01/26/2003 10:00 PM PST by timestax
[
7 posted on 01/27/2003 12:08:48 PM PST by timestax
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To: AdA$tra
If I recall correctly...if you add up all the U-2 crashes...almost all occurred within five minutes of take-off. There are so few...and it is considered one of the safest planes in the world to fly in terms of performance.
8 posted on 01/27/2003 12:17:57 PM PST by pepsionice
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To: pepsionice
I think I read somewhere that there had been no incidents with the "S" model in 38,000 hours of flight.
9 posted on 01/27/2003 12:29:17 PM PST by AdA$tra
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To: IYAS9YAS
Ping - Blackcat down.
10 posted on 01/27/2003 12:45:03 PM PST by CapandBall
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To: timestax
Should have been able to glide for hundreds of miles to airport!

At it's operating altitude, the U-2 could have glided at least 300-400 MILES with its 27 to 1 glide ratio. As long as there was no catastrophic failure(s) on the aircraft, it should have made its way back to base. With good thermals, the pilot could make it back to Japan from anywhere along the DMZ. 8^)

This story doesn't add up as stated .

jriemer

11 posted on 01/27/2003 12:58:19 PM PST by jriemer
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To: CapandBall
Yikes...not good. I do remember that Blackcat lost another one over Korea a few years back (not sure when). Broke up in mid-air. Debris was strewn all over the eastern edge of the ROK. Pilot was killed then.

If it was a strike, we'd have been all over it.

Thanks for the Ping.

12 posted on 01/27/2003 3:35:34 PM PST by IYAS9YAS
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To: jriemer
This story doesn't add up as stated . jriemer

DITTO !

13 posted on 01/27/2003 9:04:37 PM PST by timestax
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To: timestax
bump for the truth
14 posted on 01/28/2003 9:23:54 PM PST by timestax
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To: timestax
bump for truth
15 posted on 01/30/2003 8:15:07 AM PST by timestax
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