An Air Force F-16 fighter plane experienced what the Hawaii Department of Transportation called a “hard landing” at about 2:45 p.m. today as it flew into runway 4R at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
The pilot used the jet’s tail hook to slow down after the front landing gear failed, DOT said. However, the jet did not appear to suffer serious damage and there have been no reports of injuries.
DOT spokesman Jai Cunningham said while there was no damage to the runway itself 4R is closed until the military safely removes the aircraft and reopens the runway. Runway 8L was already closed for planned construction activities, leaving Runway 8R as the only available landing runway for commercial jets.
“With the distance that the planes have to travel to get back to the gates, it could cause some delays,” said Cunningham. “Nothing major, but it could cause a little bit of delays because it’s a pretty good drive to get back from out there.”
Runway 4R will be closed until further notice.
A Hawaii National Guard spokesman said the F-16 was an active-duty aircraft assigned to the Air Force’s 15th Wing. Cunningham said that the only details DOT had on the F-16 was that it was a visiting aircraft from a unit outside of Hawaii. Spokespersons from the 15th Wing and Pacific Air Forces said they could not offer additional details at this time.
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