Officials release T-37 accident report

  • Published
Air Force officials have determined pilot error caused the Dec. 20 mid-air collision of two T-37 Tweet trainer aircraft out of Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.

In its description of the incident, the accident investigation board said the pilot of one of the T-37s did not ensure adequate separation between the two aircraft while practicing formation maneuvers.

The collision occurred when one of the aircraft broke formation while in a formation turn.

The student pilots involved were flying their third formation sortie, according to the report. Italian air force Capt. Michele Minonne, instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Samuele Quarina, student pilot, were in one T-37. Maj. Robert A. Evalenko, an Air Force Reserve instructor pilot, and 1st Lt. Eric Langmayr, a German air force student pilot, were in the aircraft that caused the mishap.

After the mid-air collision, Evalenko and Langmayr ejected and their T-37 crashed into a wheat field near Grandview, Okla. Minonne assumed control of the other aircraft, determined it was controllable, returned to Sheppard and completed a gear-up crash landing back at Sheppard. All crewmembers were uninjured.

The aviators were members of the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, sponsored by NATO and conducted by the 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard. The 55-week program produces about 250 pilots annually. Eight nations have students and instructors in the program: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the United States. Five others, Canada, Greece, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, contribute instructor pilots to the multinational staff. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)