Probe: Pilot error caused Nellis fighter jet crash

The August collision that led to the crash of a Nellis Air Force Base F-16 fighter jet was caused by pilot error, base investigators have ruled.

The $20 million jet, flown by Maj. David Kossler, was destroyed when it crashed into the desert floor 10 miles north of Moapa, which is 45 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Kossler safely ejected.

According to investigators, the Aug. 8 crash was precipitated by a mid-air collision with another F-16 during a training mission involving four aircraft.

The second F-16 suffered only minor damage and its pilot, Maj. Brandon Sweat, was not hurt.

According to the report released Friday, the two pilots failed to clear their flight paths prior to the collision. Investigators also determined that Kossler violated flight rules by entering Sweat's airspace and then failing to correct it.

Investigators also pointed out that Kossler experienced channelized attention, or became fixated on certain aspects of his flight while failing to pay attention to other factors.

"When you're participating in these exercises you have to be aware of a huge number of factors such as altitude, air speed, and your position relative to other aircraft," said Capt. John Hutcheson, from Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. "When a pilot becomes too focused on one thing, he can sometimes ignore some of the other factors."

Hutcheson said both pilots remain on flight status and have not undergone any extra training.

While no new training has been developed as a result of the crash, Hutcheson said pilots receive daily training on the intense air-to-air training.

The mid-air collision was the second crash at Nellis in August. On Aug. 3, an F-15 fighter pilot crashed 15 miles north of the Lincoln County town of Rachel, about 170 miles north of Las Vegas.

The pilot, Capt. Christopher Kirby, was not injured. The plane, worth about $15 million, was destroyed.

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