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Inspections show cracks on ninth F-15

A ninth F-15 Eagle is identified as having the same cracks suspected of causing the Nov. 2 crash of a Missouri Air National Guard plane.

The latest jet found with the cracks is assigned to the Massachusetts Air National Guard’s 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield, Mass., an Air Combat Command spokesman said Friday.

The 104th is in the process of changing missions from flying A-10 Thunderbolts to F-15s as part of the Air Force-wide base realignment effort.

The Air Force’s 442 Eagles, models A through D, have been grounded almost continuously since Nov. 3, when crash investigators concluded the jet broke apart in flight.

The newer and larger F-15E Strike Eagles are not grounded.

The F-15s likely will stay parked until Air Combat Command boss Gen. John Corley believes the planes are safe to fly again.

Information from the accident investigation board looking into the Missouri crash led officials to focus on problems with the F-15’s forward longerons, metal beams under the jet skin that help support the cockpit and strengthen the jet.

Inspections of those longerons turned up cracks in eight jets: the Massachusetts aircraft; two jets assigned to the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan; one to the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; and four to the Oregon Air National Guard’s 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field. The Florida and Oregon units are training wings, while the Kadena and Massachusetts wings are operational units. The nine jets were built several years apart.