US Air Force lifts sunken F-15 Eagle fighter jet at Kingsley Field, Oregon, using a 400-tonne crane

A fourth-generation F-15D Eagle fighter jet suddenly found itself in an irrigation canal in mid-May. It took nearly two weeks for the US Air Force to recover the plane.

Here's What We Know

The incident occurred on May 14 at Kingsley Field National Guard Base, Oregon. The aircraft made a landing, but after landing it left the base's runway and landed in an irrigation canal.

Due to space constraints, the US Air Force had to purchase a special 400-ton crane that was used to lift the F-15D fighter jet. Before doing so, the Bureau of Reclamation lowered the water so that specialists could fix the aircraft.

Col. Micah Lambert, deputy commander of the 173rd Fighter Wing, noted that routine water sampling was conducted after the crash. Specialists were successful in preventing an oil spill.

The US Air Force is not yet in a hurry to announce the severity of the damage and the time frame for recovery of the aircraft. Only 18 F-15D Eagle fighters remain in service. All of them will be replaced by the newer F-15EX Eagle II in the near future.

Source: 173rd Fighter Wing