HAFB courtesy video: Explosion detonation - Click here to view an additional explosion video
HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- Engine failure is to blame for prompting a F-16 pilot to jettison bombs and fuel tanks over the west side of Hill Air Force Base on Thursday, Air Force officials say.
One bomb exploded when it hit the ground, but base emergency personnel disposed of one unexploded bomb Saturday by blowing it up in place.
Residents of surrounding communities may have heard or seen emergency vehicles, explosions and plumes of smoke as a result of the detonation.
The base's Roy gate near the 5600 South exit of Interstate 15 and all activities at Hill Aerospace Museum will be closed today.
Around 4 p.m. Thursday, a male F-16 pilot from Hill's 388th Fighter Wing had engine problems about 20 seconds after takeoff, causing the pilot to drop two external fuel tanks and two 500-pound Mark 82 general purpose bombs, officials said at a Friday afternoon news conference.
The pilot was on his way to a training mission at the Utah Test and Training Range and turned his jet around over Layton and Clearfield before heading to Hill's west side.
The tanks and the bombs were dropped in a largely uninhabited area on the west side of the base, about 2,000 feet from I-15.
One of the bombs unexpectedly exploded upon impact, destroying a small tin shed and causing a power outage on base. Power was restored Thursday evening.
The second bomb burrowed approximately 17 feet into the ground in the same general area of the base.
The pilot, whose name was not released, landed safely on base, and no damage was reported to the F-16.
Col. Scott Zobrist, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, said it is standard procedure for a pilot to jettison munitions and fuel tanks after an engine failure.
When an engine fails, landing with excess weight is dangerous, Zobrist said.
"Landing with all that extra weight could have caused the jet to go off the end of the runway," he said. "He got to the biggest, widest area he could find and did exactly what he was supposed to do.
"I'm very proud of him."
Technicians from Hill have recovered the external fuel tanks. Base explosive ordnance disposal experts and emergency management teams will destroy the second bomb with explosives.
"We have determined destroying the bomb in place is the safest method to neutralize the impact to our emergency response and recovery teams, as well as cause minimal environmental impact," said Col. Patrick Higby, 75th Air Base Wing commander.
"The operation is something our EOD technicians do at the UTTR on a regular basis."
Base emergency management said the fuel tanks released approximately 500 gallons of fuel. Some of the fuel evaporated, and the remainder landed on a remote area on base. An environmental contractor will remove the fuel by excavating the soil.
The investigation into the cause of the engine failure is ongoing.
*Both attached videos are courtesy of HAFB.
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