On November 5, 1999, an Eglin AFB security policeman, patrolling the flight line, drops his personal cell phone.
While reaching down to retrieve it, he drives his vehicle into an F-15C Eagle, striking it from the rear and causing more than $62,000 in damage to the F-15’s landing gear.
The car was, of course, scrapped.
But the security guard was lucky. He suffered only a concussion.
It is possible that this story is false.
I have heard this story several times from fellow Eagle Keepers. Here is the version I got. Second hand but credible source. Both sources were stationed at Eglin AFB, FL at the time.
Cop was getting a BJ while driving on the flight line. Shit happens.
While the cell phone story is somewhat plausible, that merely shows that the dude was a dumbass…
However, if you crash while getting a BJ, may as well go big and involve an Eagle… That’s hero material, there!
Besides, in 1999, cell phones were not yet in wide-spread usage. BJs were much more popular back then…
BTW, these pics were taken the following morning. This incident happened during the mid shift. The other party left the scene and stayed in the shadows to get outta there.
However, the SP who was at the wheel stepped up and owned it. Wrecking a car…not getting a BJ… That is the unofficial version.
I love my F-15 Eagles!
BJ story was what I heard as well. And I joined in June 01 and no one had cell phones then hardly so 1999? Nah wasn’t a phone.