Accident Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 80-0266,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 56229
 
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Date:Thursday 20 January 2000
Time:18:42 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic A10 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II
Owner/operator:190th FSqn / 124th FWg Idaho ANG USAF
Registration: 80-0266
MSN: A10-0616
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Approx. 12 miles W of Gowen Field ANG Base, Boise Air Terminal, Idaho -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Gowen Field ANG Base (BOI/KBOI)
Destination airport:Gowen Field ANG Base (BOI/KBOI)
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
Written off 20/01/2000 when crashed approximately 12 miles west of Gowen Air National Guard Base, Boise Air Terminal, Ada County, Idaho*. The pilot - Major Mark Moynihan - was killed. The A-10A was returning to base, after the mission had been "scrubbed" due to poor weather

According to the incident report released by Air Combat Command, investigators could not find clear and convincing evidence to determine the exact cause or causes of the mishap. Investigators suspected severe spatial disorientation as the primary factor, possibly enhanced by cockpit distractions affecting Moynihan's navigation, lighting and radio equipment. The probable display of incorrect information on the main attitude director indicator, caused by a potential malfunction or the pilot's mistrust of that information during a critical phase of flight, may have amplified the spatial disorientation.

Despite investigators' original conclusions, Air Combat Command officials reopened the investigation in early October 2000 as a result of new information related to the auxiliary power unit and hot air check valve.

However, after interviewing an additional witness, analysing the original investigation report and examining a key piece of the plane's wreckage, the lead investigator found no evidence that would warrant changing the original findings.

Specifically, investigators found no evidence from the debris analysis pointing to a pre-impact fire or explosion, which would have been consistent with overheating of the auxiliary power unit. Guard officials also said no damage was found to indicate a faulty hot air check valve.

(*Boise Airport (BOI/KBOI) (Boise Air Terminal or Gowen Field Air National Guard Base) is a joint civil-military airport three miles south of Boise in Ada County, Idaho.

Sources:

1. http://usaf.aib.law.af.mil/ExecSum2000/A-10A_Boise_20Jan00_Addendum.pdf
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20171019033444/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/A-10_Thunderbolt_II.htm
3. http://www.caller2.com/2000/february/06/funeralstext.html
4. http://warthogaircraftdatabase.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/fy-1980-aircraft.html
5. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1980.html
6. http://romanceontheice.tripod.com/mynews.html
7. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/799258/Probe-into-Idaho-plane-crash-confirms-initial-findings.html

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
04-Dec-2013 03:05 Dr. John Smith Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]
12-Feb-2020 15:41 Iwosh Updated [Operator, Operator]

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