Air Force pilot killed, others hurt in accident on runway at Texas base

An air force pilot was killed and two others were injured on Friday in an accident on a runway at the Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas.

The 47th Flying Training Wing said Friday that the incident, which occurred at 10 a.m., involved two T-38C Talon trainers.

The pilot was identified on Saturday as 2nd. Lt. Anthony D. Wentz, 23, of Falcon, Colo. Wentz was a student pilot in the 47th Student Squadron. Neither of the injured pilots were identified.

“A loss such as this affects us all, but one thing we will never fail to do in times of crisis is come together, support one another, and respond,” 47th Flying Training Wing Commander Col. Craig Prather said in a statement Saturday.

“Our focus remains on supporting the families involved and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with them and our teammates today,” Prather continued.

One of the pilots who was injured was transported to Val Verde Regional Medical Center in Del Rio, where they were treated and released, the 47th Flying Training Wing said Friday.

The other injured pilot is in critical condition and was evacuated by air to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. 

The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

The Hill has reached out to the 47th Flying Training Wing for more information.

The 47th Flying Training Wing conducts specialized undergraduate pilot training for the Air Force and Air National Guard, according to its website. One of the aircraft it uses is the T-38 Talon, a twin-engine, high-altitude supersonic jet trainer that is mainly used for advanced jet pilot training. 

–Updated at 2:44 p.m.