Destroyed in a fatal mid-air collision with F-15C 81-0043 over the Gulf of Mexico in 2008.

On 20 Feb'08, two F-15Cs, 81-0043 and this 79-0075 collided mid-air and were destroyed, some 44nm south of Tyndall AFB (FL). One pilot ejected safely, the other one was sadly killed. The mishap flight was flying in surge operations. The mission was planned as a high aspect basic fighter maneuvers training sortie. It proceeded as briefed and scheduled until the third high aspect pass of the first engagement. The primary cause of this mishap was pilot error, in that both mishap pilots failed to clear their flight paths and failed to anticipate their impending high aspect mid-air collision