As widely reported, a mechanic working on a Belgian Air Force F-16AM at Florennes Air Base on October 11 accidentally fired the aircraft’s Vulcan M61A1 cannon and the rounds struck another F-16 parked on the ramp.
One aircraft, FA-128, immediately burst into lames and burnt out. Not revealed at the time was that another jet parked next to FA-129, F-16AM FA-128, was also struck by the cannon fire and suffered substantial damage to its tail, fuselage and engine and will probably be written of. A third, as yet un identified aircraft was damaged by the blast. The cause of the accident is under investigation, but the weapon should have been secured by a fail-safe device to prevent such occurrences.
