German Air Force instructor pilot averts disaster

  • Published
  • By Debi Smith
  • 80th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Aviation Safety Well Done Award was presented to Lt. Col. Thomas Kirschenbauer, 88th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for his exemplary actions during a bird strike incident while conducting a T-38 Talon sortie on July 9, 2015.

Kirschenbauer or "Kirsche," a German Air Force instructor pilot and a student pilot were flying a normal Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals flight when they experienced a severe bird strike while performing a level-turning safe escape maneuver as the second aircraft in a four-ship tactical surface attack mission to Falcon Range at Fort Sill's weapons range in Oklahoma. 

Kirschenbauer stated the bird penetrated the right side of the fuselage near the rudder pedals causing severe structural and engine damage. Upon impact, there was a complete electrical failure causing a loss of all engine and warning indications, including complete intercom and radio failure.

Both pilots simultaneously initiated a safe climb away from the ground using full available power to avoid steep rising terrain. Now dealing with a completely blacked-out cockpit, they quickly analyzed whether the aircraft was still flyable or they needed to eject. 

They communicated using the aircraft mirrors and decided to navigate back to Sheppard using ground references. Kirschenbauer used his cell phone to contact the operations supervisor that the distressed aircraft was returning to the Sheppard runway.

As stated in the citation for the award, there is currently no checklist available for this particular emergency and the crew used superior judgment to configure the aircraft with an alternate gear extension; landing the aircraft from the rear cockpit out of a straight-in approach and directed an emergency ground egress on the runway, the decisive actions of Kirschenbauer showed superb flying skills, outstanding crew resource management and sound judgment.

In addition, Kirschenbauer's instinctive actions during this in-flight emergency saved two lives and a T-38 Talon aircraft valued at over eight million dollars.