A civilian light aircraft crashed on the east side of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana Wednesday morning, the base said in a release.
Barksdale spokesman Master Sgt. David Dobrydney confirmed in a follow-up email that two unidentified people died in the crash. No further details about the type of aircraft or the crash victims were immediately available, he said.
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According to Barksdale’s release, local air traffic controllers lost radar contact with the aircraft over the base’s east reservation at about 4:45 a.m. The FAA alerted the base at about 5 a.m., and first responders began a search and rescue operation.
Barksdale personnel, with assistance from the nearby Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, found the aircraft at about 8:25 a.m., the release said. Responders secured the area, and the crash is under investigation.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.