Strike Eagle pilot honored with Air Force safety award

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Richard A. Williams Jr.
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  A pilot who landed a crippled F-15E Strike Eagle after taking off from Kunsan Air Base, Korea, received the Air Force's most prestigious flight safety award here June 29.

Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley presented Capt. Hans Buckwalter, of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, with the 2010 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy for outstanding achievement in airmanship and flying proficiency.

The award, established in 1958, recognizes outstanding feats of airmanship by an aircrew member who, by extraordinary skill, exceptional alertness, ingenuity or proficiency, averts or minimizes the seriousness of an aircraft accident in terms of injury, loss of life, aircraft or property damage, Secretary Donley said.

"Through his actions, Hans exemplifies the standards established for this award," the secretary said. "His actions truly reflect how Airmen rise to the occasion no matter how difficult the circumstances."

On April 8, 2010, Captain Buckwalter successfully landed a crippled F-15E using only the nose and right main landing gear. Shortly after takeoff, his aircraft experienced a mechanical failure that wedged the left main landing gear in the fuselage.

Captain Buckwalter also experienced a similar failure in the right wing landing gear which he was able to correct.

After nearly two hours of unsuccessful attempts to correct the left landing gear problem, he calmly touched down on the right main landing gear, lowered the nose, and held the left wing tip off the ground until his aircraft engaged the arresting cable.

Captain Buckwalter then lowered the left wing and maintained directional control for nearly 1,000 feet until his F-15E came to a stop and egress procedures were performed.

"I stand before you today as the recipient of this award," Captain Buckwalter said. "But there is no way I could have done this without the support of my wingman in the air who constantly updated me on the status of my aircraft and the assistance of my team on the ground that did everything possible to help me."

Had his wingman not noticed the issue with his aircraft, he added, he would not have known there was a problem with his landing gear until he attempted to land, and the outcome could have been very different.

The award is named for 1st Lt. Koren Kolligian Jr., an Air Force pilot declared missing in the line of duty when his T-33 Shooting Star aircraft disappeared off the California coast Sept. 14, 1955.

Members of Lieutenant Kolligian's family were in attendance to honor Captain Buckwalter as he received the award.

Captain Buckwalter had more than 1,200 flying hours, primarily in the F-15E, and is currently an alternate in the prestigious United States Air Force Test Pilot School. He is assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron as the Chief of Standardization and Evaluations at Mountain Home AFB.

"It is an honor to receive this award," Captain Buckwalter said. "It's extremely humbling and awesome for me and my family to be a part of this wonderful Air Force tradition."