Two U.S. Air Force pilots safely ejected from a T-6A Texan II near Seguin, Texas, Thursday evening after experiencing a landing gear issue. The incident took place at approximately 5:51 p.m. local time and reportedly followed a hard landing at an uncontrolled airfield, according to a statement from Joint Base San Antonio.
Crew Advised to Eject
The pilots who were flying the T-6A mission were assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. They contacted personnel on the ground for guidance, following a landing gear warning, and ultimately decided to abandon the aircraft.
“After receiving unsafe landing gear indications, the pilots consulted with experts, who recommended the crew conduct a controlled bailout,” Joint Base San Antonio told local KSAT.
Both pilots were subsequently evaluated by local medical personnel. Officials did not immediately disclose their conditions or explain the circumstances of the reported hard landing.
Aircraft Background
The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-seat turboprop used for primary flight training by the Air Force and Navy. Powered by a 1,100-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 engine, the aircraft features tandem seating, digital avionics and ejection seats. A similar landing gear problem prompted the ejection of two pilots from a Canadian CT-156 Harvard II, a variant of the Texan II, in 2014.
The Air Force has not released additional information about the condition of the aircraft or the cause of the landing gear indication. Officials have also not specified whether the warning resulted from a mechanical problem or an indication system fault.
Not sure if this is government waste or government cost‑cutting. Apparently the Air Force has figured out the cheapest maintenance program: just eject and let gravity handle the write‑off.