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  • A U.S. Air Force training aircraft undergoes examination after making an emergency landing in Chickasha last week.

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November 30, 2009

Air Force training plane makes makes emergency landing in town

Ellis Goodwin

After striking a bird, a U.S. Air Force Hawker Beechcraft T-6 training aircraft made an emergency landing at Chickasha Municipal Airport last week..

The pilot's wingman followed him down, and two aircraft sat in Chickasha until Monday afternoon.

The 1,100 horsepower airplanes and their pilots are stationed at Shepherd Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. The T-6 and other aircraft often can be seen practicing maneuvers above Chickasha. Pilots simulate powerless landings, but rarely touch wheels, said Airport Supervisor Clint Ferguson.When he saw two U.S. Air Force planes on the ground, he said he knew something had to be wrong.

The airplane did not require any maintenance, and landed because it is mandatory to do so after any bird-strike, said Lt. Col. Pat Testerman.

Testerman is an instructor in the Air Force, and was accompanied by a fellow instructor, Maj. Ferenc Nihof of the Royal Netherlands Air force.The U.S. hosts and trains pilots of countries that purchase fighter aircraft like the Lockheed Martin F-16.



Nihof has been in the U.S. for four years. He is in charge of instructing the Netherland's newest pilots.

Both planes made it safely back to Shepherd, which is just over 30 minutes away from Chickasha in an airplane.

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