The simultaneous malfunction was so rare that it was the first such failure reported to manufacturer Lockheed Martin since F-16s first started flying in 1974. - ST FILE
SINGAPORE: The root cause of the F-16 fighter jet crash in Tengah Air Base on May 8 was a rare simultaneous malfunction of two out of four pitch rate gyroscopes, which provided similar erroneous inputs to the digital flight control computer.
This was according to the investigation undertaken by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and supported by F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin, as well as Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, whose findings were issued on June 19, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen in a written reply to questions in Parliament.
The simultaneous malfunction was so rare that it was the first such failure reported to the American manufacturer since F-16s first started flying in 1974.
The investigation, which was reviewed by the SAF Inspector-General’s Office and the External Review Panel on SAF Safety, also showed that the single-seat jet had been maintained in accordance with established protocols, and that its pre-flight built-in test did not detect any fault with the gyroscopes before take-off.
“To better detect early signs of gyroscope degradation and reduce the chance of a reoccurrence going forward, the RSAF has put in place an additional preventive maintenance procedure for the gyroscopes, over and above what is stipulated by the aircraft manufacturer,” Dr Ng added.
The Defence Minister was responding to questions from MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim (Chua Chu Kang GRC) and Nominated Member of Parliament Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant, who also asked about the condition of the pilot and the Ministry of Defence’s and RSAF’s assessments about the operational capability of the F-16, respectively.
The Ministry of Defence had previously said the pitch rate gyroscopes would be subjected to additional routine maintenance checks to ensure that any early signs of degradation are detected and replaced pre-emptively, before they reach a stage of advanced degradation.
On the condition of the pilot – who had responded in accordance with emergency procedures, and ejected from the aircraft after determining that he was unable to safely control the aircraft – Dr Ng said he had been certified physically fit and psychologically ready, and resumed flying on May 24.
He added that the RSAF has a dedicated team of aviation medicine doctors, that psychologists were on hand to offer extended support to the affected personnel, and assessments were made before they resumed their duties.
He also expressed confidence in the operational capability and reliability of the F-16 aircraft, noting that it is a well-established platform with approximately 3,100 jets flying with the militaries of 25 countries, and has clocked more than 19 million flight hours since it was introduced in the 1970s.
The RSAF also upholds the highest maintenance standards to ensure the airworthiness of every aircraft.
The safety of populations around its aircraft flying routes and training and operations areas is a key priority for the RSAF, he added, nothing that it took steps to minimise flight routes over residential areas where possible, and ensured that the routes were in accordance with norms prescribed by international bodies, including the International Civil Aviation Organisation and the Federal Aviation Authority of the United States. - The Straits Times/ANN
