The investigative report on the recent crash of two German Air Force
jets near Carlsbad, N.M., may never be made public. Although the
collision occurred in airspace regulated by the FAA, and the training
was sponsored by the U. S. Air Force, neither agency is involved in the
investigation.
Capt. Gregg Bottemiller, director of Public Affairs at Holloman Air
Force Base, formally announced Tuesday that, "A team of German Air Force
members is investigating the crash. The accident report will be a German
document and, as such, not subject to the Freedom of Information Act."
Kommandeur Eckhard Sowada |
However, in a prior phone conversation, Kommandeur Eckhard Sowada,
commanding officer of the New Mexico Luftwaffe, had stated that the
crash investigation was to be conducted by German and American
personnel.
Capt. Bottemiller contends that Germans were in airspace authorized
for military operations when the Tornado jets flew into each other, and
the four pilots parachuted to safety. "They were flying in the Talon MOA
(Military Operations Area)," he stated. However, his assistant, Robert
Pepper, remarked, "The crash site may or may not be in the MOA -- the
force of the mid-air collision could have knocked the planes outside the
area." The Talon MOA covers a huge area including Carlsbad, Artesia,
Lakewood, Seven Rivers and much of the Gaudalupe Mountains.
Bottemiller differs with eyewitness reports that the aircraft were
"playing" at the time of the crash. "They were maneuvering in accordance
with pre-briefed mission objectives as
part of an air-to-air training program," he said.
The Marathon Indian Basin Gas Processing Plant was narrowly missed by
one of the burning planes as it crashed into the ground. Personnel are
still greatly concerned over the possibility of future crashes, and
speculate on what could have happened if the plane had hit the gas
plant.
Official emblem of the New Mexico Luftwaffe |
"I don't know if the Germans or the USAF people realize what kind of
an area they are in," said petroleum worker Wade Bennett. "Hydrogen
sulfide gas is a product that is produced in certain oil and gas fields,
including Indian Basin. It is contained within our production equipment
and is harmless -- unless there is a breach of the containment, such as
a Tornado fighter-bomber crashing into it!"
The Environmental Protection Agency advises, "hydrogen sulfide is an
extremely toxic gas. As little as 1000-2000 parts per million causes
unconsciousness at once, with early cessation of respiration and death
in a few minutes. Death may occur even if an individual is removed to
fresh air at once."
Luftwaffe Kommandeur Eckhard Sowada has declined to give further
interviews since his statement that the investigation would be conducted
by American and German officials.