Pilot killed in F-15 collision identified

[unhappycamper]

Pilot killed in F-15 collision identified
Staff and wire reports
Posted : Friday Feb 22, 2008 23:52:51 EST

The F-15C pilot who died in a midair collision Wednesday over the Gulf of Mexico was 1st Lt. Ali Jivanjee, the 33rd Fighter Wing announced Friday. He was with the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The wing halted training flights Thursday as investigators searched for the cause of the crash, which also injured the pilot of the other jet, who has not been identified. Normal flights will resume Monday, according to a base statement.

The crash of the two jets occurred 77 miles southeast of Eglin while the pilots were flying a routine training sortie, according to a wing press release. Weather in the area was clear.

The Coast Guard received a distress call at around 2 p.m., and crews located and rescued the two downed pilots at approximately 5 p.m. An AC-130H Hercules gunship and a CV-22 Osprey from the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., were diverted from a training sortie to aid in the search-and-rescue mission.

An HC-144A Ocean Sentry from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile, Ala., spotted the first pilot and radioed a nearby fishing vessel, the Nina, which picked up the pilot.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airforce_f15_crash_080222w/