Japan Air Self-Defence Force F-15J Damaged

The F-15J was recovering to Naha Air Base from a quick reaction alert sortie shortly before 13:00 local time on 18 August when its left main landing gear collapsed during the landing roll. The aircraft settled onto its left wingtip and external fuel tank, slid along the runway and rotated through 180 degrees before stopping facing back down the strip. The pilot left the cockpit unaided and was not hurt. The runway, shared with the civil terminal at Naha Airport, stayed closed for about four hours while a crane lifted the airframe clear, delaying some forty passenger flights. The jet is understood to belong to the 9th Air Wing.