An F-5F from the 737th TFW at Taitung AFB crashed in a rice paddy near Chiayi AFB at about 0730 hrs this morning. Of the two-men crew, Lt. Col. 周偉傑 was killed, while Lt. 夏文裕 ejected and suffered serious injuries.
Details about this accident are still murky at this moment (0930 hrs). TV news showed that the aircraft was badly disintegrated and burned, and the wreckage was scattered all over the scene. Earlier reports saying that an F-16B had crashed were incorrect.
The following images are captured from TV broadcast.
It’s 5381/79-1724. Aircraft hour: 6595小時, over 27 years old aircraft.
The aircraft took off from Taitung AFB at 0700 hrs with Lt. Col. 周偉傑 as the instructor pilot and Lt. 夏文裕 as the trainee. It crashed about 1.5 NM north of Chiayi AFB at 0726 hrs. Lt. 夏文裕 is listed in stable conditions.
5381 was the lead aircraft of the two-aircraft flight yesterday. The other aircraft was F-5E 5294, which returned to Taitung AFB safely. ROCAF officials said that bodies of birds were found on the landing gear of 5294, suggesting that 5381 might be the victim of a bird strike. In addition, neither pilots ejected before the aircraft crashed. All F-5 have been grounded temporarily.
Lt. Col. 周傑偉 is survived by his wife, 8-year-old daughter, and 9-year-old son.
Lt. Col. 周偉傑 was the 44th Squadron’s CO. Had 2862 flight hours.