Warbird Information Exchange

Hill prepares for safe disposal of bomb
October 23rd, 2009 @ 2:08pm
By Marc Giauque
HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- Hill Air Force Base is expected to release more information around 3 p.m. Friday, following Thursday's emergency landing and explosion involving and F-16 and munition that detonated on the base.

Hill prepares to neutralize bomb

The thud of the explosion was heard all around the base, especially on the northern end where the tanks and unarmed general purpose bombs were jettisoned before the plane made a safe landing.

The fuels technicians on Hill have already recovered the jettisoned external fuel tanks. The explosive ordnance disposal experts and base emergency management teams are going to destroy the second Mk-82 with a shaped charged to safely direct the explosion.

"We have determined destroying the Mk-82 bomb in place is the safest method to neutralize the impact to our emergency response and recovery teams, as well as cause minimal environmental impact," said Col. Patrick Higby, 75th Air Base Wing commander. "We will use successive shape-charged explosives to detonate and render safe the bomb, which is buried approximately 17 feet underground. These explosions are going to begin Saturday morning. We want the surrounding communities to know they may hear or see emergency vehicles, explosions, and possibly plumes of smoke as a result of the detonations."

Hill AFB will close the base's Roy gate near the 5600 S. exits of I-15 (exit 338) and the Hill Aerospace Museum during explosive operations Saturday.

The electrical power was restored to the base Thursday evening in just a few hours, after it was safe to do so.

Base emergency management said the jettisoned fuel tanks released approximately 500 gallons of fuel. Some of this fuel evaporated in the air and the remainder impacted a remote area on base. Hill AFB has contracted for environmental remediation of the fuel by excavating the soil.

The investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing.

Hill's neighbors react to munition explosion

Even though planes fly over their communities every day, the event has rattled a few nerves and raised some concerns. Roy City Attorney Andy Blackburn says it's something his city is likely to discuss at some point, when more information comes in.

The freeway in the Roy area was shut down for a time Thursday while base officials worked to find munitions and a second fuel tank that was jettisoned. The Air Force says an F-16 experienced engine trouble, forcing the pilot to jettison the tanks and ordnance in a remote area of the base. The plane landed safely.

Roy's Fire Chief John Ritchie says it's something they train for. He says an ambulance crew was out on a call Thursday afternoon when they saw the F-16 and realized something was wrong because of its unusual approach.

"There's no concern saying ‘Are we ready?'" Richie says. "These guys fly two or three or four times a day over us. They're always our air, so we can have it happen any time."

Roy is just south of the Ogden-Hinckley Airport and Ritchie says two flight paths from the Salt Lake City International Airport cross over the city. Add to the mix I-15 to the East and railroad lines to the West, Ritchie believes the Hill jets don't add much more concern.