RSAF’s F-16 Crash at Tengah Air Base

Detailed investigations by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and Lockheed Martin (LM) have determined the cause of the accident. The flight data recorder recovered from the crashed F-16 showed that its pitch rate gyroscopes gave erroneous inputs to the flight control computer. This led to the pilot being unable to control the plane at take-off.

All F-16 fighter jets are fitted with four such gyroscopes and simultaneous failure of the gyroscopes is a very rare occurrence. As such, LM does not stipulate any maintenance for the pitch rate gyroscopes in the F-16 aircraft. This is the first such simultaneous malfunction of the pitch rate gyroscopes for the RSAF’s entire F-16 fleet that has operated over 35 years. The RSAF, with LM, will undertake further studies to determine the specific cause/s for the gyroscope malfunction that resulted in this crash.

As the cause of the F-16 crash has been elucidated, the RSAF F-16 fleet will resume flying. But as an added precaution, each F-16 pitch rate gyroscope will be checked and cleared before resumption of flights.