- The F-15 aircraft from RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, came down at 3.30pm
- Plane went up in flames after crashing in field in Weston Hills, Spalding
- The pilot ejected from $30million aircraft and suffered only minor injuries
- Nearby school was ‘evacuated’ after wing landed in field 400 yards away
A US Air Force fighter jet pilot survived with minor injuries yesterday after ejecting from an F-15 which crashed just 100 yards from houses in a Lincolnshire field.
The military aircraft went up in flames after coming down at about 3.30pm as it was flying over Weston Hills, near Spalding – with locals describing a ‘horrible acrid smell’ after the crash.
RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk confirmed last night that the incident involved one of its $30million F-15 fighter jets and that the pilot – from the 48th Fighter Wing – had ejected from the aircraft.
Escaped: The US Air Force fighter jet pilot has survived with just minor injuries after ejecting from the F-15
Flames: The crash took place in an isolated rural area and no premises have been affected, police said
A police spokesman said the pilot suffered minor injuries and left the scene in a helicopter.
Members of the public contacted emergency services yesterday afternoon to report they had seen a jet come down in a field. Thick, black smoke was seen rising from the site.
Local resident Andrew Woodger saw the crash while travelling in a car driven by his wife near his home, following his release from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge after kidney treatment.
The 62-year-old told MailOnline last night: ‘We saw this aircraft lazily spirally down. I said “he’s not going to get out of that”. And then it crashed 100 yards from our home.
‘It was falling like a leaf, just floating really. There was no fire as it was falling – it was only when it crashed that the flames were there. There was a horrible acrid smell – we kept the windows shut.’
His wife Carol, also 62, told MailOnline: ‘It’s been a rather eventful day. You could see the aircraft coming down. I was shaking for a long time afterwards. I’d say it was only about 100 yards from us.
The crash took place in an isolated rural area and no premises have been affected, police said.
But there were reports that nearby Weston Hills Church of England Primary School had been evacuated after the incident.
A spokesman for the school said they could not comment but that everyone was fine. Search and rescue helicopters were also called from RAF Leconfield and RAF Valley, but were not needed.
Shaun Gough, whose twin five-year-old daughters are pupils at the school, told the BBC that part of the wing had landed in the field nearby.
A US Air Force fighter jet, believed to be an F15, has crashed in Spalding, Lincolnshire during an exercise A spokesman for Lincolnshire confirmed that one military aircraft was on fire in a field
SmokeL Local resident Andrew Woodger took this picture of the wreckage following the crash this afternoon Members of the public contacted emergency services around 3.30pm this afternoon to report that they had seen a jet come down
‘The wing is in a field about 400 yards from the school. [I’m] just glad nobody has been hurt. I’ve seen a Sea King helicopter land and pick somebody up. I’m guessing it’s the pilot.’
A cordon remains in place and officers are guarding the scene. Police have asked the public to avoid the area while investigations are ongoing.
A spokesman said people had been driving to the scene which could hamper investigations. The USAF spokesman from the base said the area was a popular spot for its aircraft to fly on training exercises.
