Germany: Lear Jet Crashed after Collision with Eurofighter | nsnbc international
A private Lear Jet with two on board crashed after a collision with one of two German Air Force Eurofighter jets above the town of Olsberg, Sauerland, in the German State Nordrhein Westfalen, reports local police. The pilots of the two military planes were training the intercept of an out of communication, civilian airplane. At least one of the two occupants of the Lear Jet has been killed.
Oberst (Colonel) Andreas Hoppe of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing, said that the pilot of the severely damaged Eurofighter was able of returning his jet to the Nörvenich Air Base near the city of Köln while the pilot of the second Eurofighter landed at Köln Wahn.
Hoppe added that both of the pilots were very experienced and had often executed the same training exercise as the one they carried out Monday morning at the time of the crash. The Air Force spokesman said that he had no information about the causes to the collision and that both of the planes impacted at both their body as well as a wing.
The training exercise, said Oberst Andreas Hoppe, involved the intercept of a civilian plane that failed to communicate with aviation authorities, adding that the Air Force usually establishes visual contact with such planes to guide it to one of the nearest air ports to land. The usual distance between the interceptors and the civilian plane, he added, was normally about 500 to 1,000 meters while the second military jet normally would trail the intercepted plane at a distance of 3,000 meters.
Flugunfall V3
The Luftwaffe has published a press release of the accodent stating that the leading EF and the Learjet were turning left and than the collision happened. Details have not been released and civil and military aviation authorities investigate. Based on what's released it looks like the Learjet rammed the leading Eurofighter in the turn damaging its wing and fuselage and some equipment on the wing. The Learjet crashed, one crew is still missing.