When the pilot of a small twin lost an engine over Idaho while far from an airfield in bad weather late last month, he was lucky that two Air Force pilots were nearby on a training mission. Lt. Col. Evan Roelofs, in an F-15C, and Capt. Marco Parzych, in an F-16, from Mountain Home Air Force Base, got a call from Salt Lake Center asking them to help the civilian pilot find a hole in the clouds to descend through. Roelofs found the twin and circled nearby, until he found a opening for descent. Parzych then flew alongside in his F-16 until the twin landed safely at Boise International Airport. “The pilot informed me that he would like to follow my aircraft to the Boise airport and also let me know that he did not have many hours of experience,” Parzych told the Air Combat Command News Service. “However, he seemed very calm throughout the approach.”
Air Force Pilots Help Civilian Flyer In Trouble
Key Takeaways:
- A civilian pilot experiencing engine failure in a small twin-engine plane over Idaho in bad weather received critical assistance from two Air Force pilots.
- Lt. Col. Evan Roelofs (F-15C) found a hole in the clouds for the civilian plane to descend, and Capt. Marco Parzych (F-16) then escorted the twin.
- Despite the civilian pilot having limited experience, Parzych guided the aircraft to a safe landing at Boise International Airport.
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