Officials complete F-15 accident investigation Published Sept. 8, 2004 RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force officials completed their investigation of the F-15 Eagle crash that happened May 21 on the shoreline of St. George Island, Fla.The accident investigation board determined the accident was caused by a chain of events that led to the pilot’s unintentional ejection, which ultimately led to the crash.The pilot, Lt. Col. Patrick Marshall, was assigned to the 1st Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., when the accident happened. He ejected safely.Colonel Marshall was conducting an air combat training flight when an air-regulating valve detached from his torso harness and became lodged in the ejection seat handle. When Colonel Marshall turned his head to check his position and pulled the control stick toward him, enough tension was put on the detached valve to raise the ejection seat handle, causing him to eject.The aircraft continued to fly for 1 minute and 49 seconds before it crashed.The F-15, assigned to the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall, was destroyed. It was valued at $36.5 million. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)