Behind the area, several concrete mock-ups of the backs of Air Force cargo aircraft had been constructed, where troops could rehearse their drop procedures.

On the day of the accident, about 500 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division from the adjacent Fort Bragg were in the pax shed, the concrete mock-ups or resting in the grassy area.

[4] Shortly after 14:00 (local time EST) on Wednesday, March 23, 1994, a two-seat F-16D Fighting Falcon (AF Ser.

88-0171, c/n 1D-25, of the 74th Fighter Squadron, 23rd Operations Group) with two pilots (Captains Joseph Jacyno and Scott Salmon) on board was conducting a simulated flameout (SFO) approach when it collided with a C-130E Hercules (AF Ser.

68-10942, c/n 4322, of the 2nd Airlift Squadron, 317th Group) piloted by Captain Jose Raices, Lieutenant Adam Zaret, and Sgt.

On impact, the F-16 pilot applied full afterburner to try to recover the aircraft, but it began to disintegrate, showering debris on the runway and a road that ran around it.

The C-141B crew was preparing the aircraft for joint Army-Air Force operations; however, no Army troops besides the jumpmaster team had yet boarded it.

[7] President Clinton, who was returning from the Caribbean, visited the site two days after the incident, met with the injured at Womack at Fort Bragg, thanked them for their service and said that the disaster was a tragedy for all Americans.

Although the F-16 pilot was partly to blame because he did not "see and avoid and stay well clear of the mishap C-130", as required by Air Force regulations, there were extenuating circumstances.

The pilot testified that he did not see the C-130; however, after the control tower had made him aware of its presence, he began executing a low approach, when the collision occurred.