Two military pilots are in stable condition after ejecting from a jet that crashed during takeoff from Sheppard Air Force Base in northern Texas Tuesday morning.
The pilots had been driving the plane when it veered off the runway, the base later said.
“A T-38C Talon aircraft assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing departed the runway prior to takeoff this morning at about 10:13 a.m. here today,” a statement read.
— Sheppard AFB (@SheppardAFB) September 11, 2018
A media report said one of the jet’s tires blew out, and the pilots bailed because the plane could rollover if they tried to land with a bad tire.
However, the base’s last update at 1 p.m. local time did not confirm this report, and the base is investigating the matter.
One of the pilots was taken to United Regional Medical Center in Wichita Falls, Texas, and the other was taken to the Sheppard Clinic.
The base noted that in 2013 its T-38 fleet went through a $185 million upgrade and received “zero/zero” seats that allowed crew to eject from “zero feet altitude at zero velocity.”
