MIDAIR COLLISION KILLS F-15 PILOT Published Oct. 22, 2008 By Air Combat Command News Service (ACCNS) Langley Air Force Base, Va. -- Air Force officials wrapped up their investigation into the Feb. 20 F-15 Eagle midair collision off the coast of Florida that caused two of the fighter jets to crash and cost one of the pilots his life. According to the accident investigation board report released in August, both pilots failed to clear their flight paths and didn't anticipate their impending midair collision. While one pilot was killed, the other ejected from his aircraft and sustained minor injuries that required no treatment. Both aircraft, totaling $83.3 million, were assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Other possible contributing factors investigated by the board included a loss of flight proficiency during the November 2007 to January 2008 stand-down of the F-15 A-D fleet; a lack of a pilot and integrated mission operational risk management program; and a lack of an integrated training rule program that identifies and informs squadron leadership and flight members of training rule violations. However, there was insufficient evidence to determine that any one of these particular factors or combination of these factors directly contributed to the mishap. Investigators determined that maintenance and the airworthiness of the aircraft were not factors in the mishap.