Air Force returns T-38 Talon to flight status while crash investigation continues

The U.S. Air Force returned the T-38 Talon to flying status just over a week after implementing a fleetwide operational pause.

Following a training flight incident, the force halted operations for all aircraft to guarantee the safety of aircrews while the mishap was investigated by a Safety Investigation Board.

On May 12, a T-38 Talon II aircraft from Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, crashed in a rural area of Lamar County, Alabama, causing the Air Force to pause operations for all T-38 Talon aircraft a week later on May 19.

The Air Force announced that the aircraft are still being inspected, but the service expects they will begin to return to flying status within the next few days, according to a Friday release, the day after the operational pause was lifted.

Engineering and maintenance teams have created the finalized inspection process needed to ensure a “safe and thorough return to flight,” per the announcement.

The pause is lifted for all affected units: Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Global Strike Command.

“Affected major commands continue to actively mitigate impacts to operations, training and readiness,” the release states.

The aircrews affected by the pause used simulator training to relieve stress on operations, training and readiness. The announcement said that the units will continue to utilize simulator training to preserve proficiency and “currency requirements.”

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the cause is still unknown, an Air Education and Training Command spokesperson told Military Times on Monday.

“While we cannot discuss specific inspection procedures in order to protect the integrity of the investigation, the operational pause allowed time for continued investigation, engineering assessment and coordination with safety, maintenance and program office experts,” the spokesperson said.