SINGAPORE: The crash of a Republic of Singapore Air Force ( RSAF ) F- 16 jet at Tengah Air Base earlier this month was due to a malfunction of a component known as , pitch rate gyroscopes, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday ( May 18 ).
The trip data record recovered from the F-16 crashed revealed that the trip control computer was inaccurate when it received false inputs from its pitch rate gyroscopes. This prevented the aircraft from being in command of the aircraft at take-off, according to MINDEF in a press release.
All F- 16 fighter planes are fitted with four like accelerometers.
The continuous failing of the gyroscopes is a very unusual event, MINDEF said, adding that this is the first for malfunction in the RSAF’s full F- 16 fleet.
The RSAF, along with company Lockheed Martin, did conduct , more studies to , determine the specific causes of the gyro damage that resulted in the fall at Tengah Air Base.
Singapore’s F- 16 fleet may resume flying, said MINDEF.
” But as an added caution, each F- 16 ball level gyroscope may be checked and cleared before commencement of airlines”, it added.
Tengah Air Base was just minutes away from the F-16 jet’s collision on May 8 when it took off. The captain was unharmed when he safely ejected from the plane.