A memorial to Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr., as displayed at the memorial ceremony held in his honor.
LONGMEADOW — The American flag that typically flies high above the town green was lowered to half staff Saturday, as a memorial ceremony was held for a resident gone before his time - the late Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot Jr.
A sizable crowd gathered around the Veterans War Memorial to offer their respect to Fontenot.
Fontenot, a member of the 104th Fighter Wing based at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, was killed Wednesday in a plane crash near Deerfield Valley, Virginia. He was flying his F-15C fighter jet to New Orleans for a radar upgrade when the plane apparently developed mechanical problems and crashed.
As Col. Alexander Haldopoulos stepped to the microphone, the assembled crowd fell silent, as easy conversation between neighbors was swept away by the gravity of the moment.
"The Air National Guard and the U.S. of America lost a true hero this week," said Haldopoulos, who is also a Longmeadow resident. "He was a fighter pilot's fighter pilot, and he was motivated by things like tactical capability, surrounding himself with top-notch organizations and people, and making those around him a better person. He was a relationship-builder... one of the most popular and respected officers of our Air Force."
"We wanted to take a moment tonight, and tell you something about this gem of a human being, and allow the people of Longmeadow to pay their respects to Moose and his family," he continued, his voice breaking as he struggled with the emotion of the moment. "The men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing will care for Kara and the girls, you can count on that. And I ask that you keep them in your hearts in the next days and weeks and months to come, and continue to welcome them to this great town."
"We wanted to tell you about this Air Force legend, both in life, and in death - Lieutenant Colonel Moose Fontenot Jr."
Kara Fontenot, the widow of the late Lieutenant Colonel, flanked by her daughters Natalie and Nicole, then offered her thanks to the 104th Fighter Wing, and to the people of Longmeadow.
"I'm completely overwhelmed by how many people are here, considering how last-minute it was. And when I tell you that my husband died doing what he loved - serving his country, flying F15s, and what he loved even more was being part of a band of brothers with his fellow fighter pilots, and these brothers that have cared for us like we are their family members," Fontenot said.
"Today is my 40th birthday... before my husband died, he had casually mentioned to one of our friends that he wanted to plant 40 rose bushes for my 40th birthday. These gentlemen planted 40 rose bushes for my husband."
"We left active duty to join the Massachusetts Air National Guard so that we could settle our daughters down in one place for high school. Natalie is a sophomore at Longmeadow High School, and my daughter Nicole is a freshman. The fact that you all took time to come here tonight just shows us that we picked the right community, and we plan to make Longmeadow our home," she said.
"I just want to thank you so much for your support, my husband would have been so honored if he could have been here today," Fontenot said.
After Fontenot departed the podium, and the ceremony drew to an end, the strains of "Amazing Grace" came bursting forth, played on a bagpipe, mournful, slow, and strong.
Story, Photo Gallery and Comments: http://www.masslive.com
Lieutenant Colonel Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr.
Massachusetts Air National Guard officials have identified Lieutenant Colonel Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr. as the pilot killed this week when his jet crashed in the mountains of western Virginia.
Fontenot was part of the 104th Fighter Wing based in Westfield. He had been flying an F-15 Eagle from Massachusetts to New Orleans for a scheduled system upgrade when it went down near Deerfield, Va., on Wednesday morning.
Officials carried out a two-day search before announcing late Thursday that Fontenot had been killed. Rescuers had left open the possibility that he had been able to eject before the impact, but eventually found his body in the wreckage.
Radio signals from the pilot had been detected just before the crash but not afterward.
“We all continue to keep the Fontenot family in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time,” Colonel James Keefe, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing, said in a statement.
According to his unit, Fontenot was responsible for inspecting planes and was also an F-15 instructor pilot with more than 2,300 flight hours. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1996, officials said.
Officials said Fontenot had been a squadron commander in multiple locations, and had served on active duty in Washington, D.C., Japan, Idaho, Florida, Alaska, and the Middle East. Fontenot joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in February and was working full-time.
http://www.bostonglobe.com
(CNN) – The body of a Massachusetts Air National Guard pilot with “numerous deployments to the Middle East” has been identified after his F-15C fighter jet crashed Wednesday in Virginia, an Air National Guard official said Friday.
Lt. Col. Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr., based out of the 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield, Massachusetts, was killed in the crash.
An Air Force Academy graduate, Fontenot earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Combat Readiness Medal, among others, for his service.
He had more than 17 years of F-15 flying experience. He also completed active-duty assignments in Japan, Washington, Idaho, Florida and Alaska. He joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in February.
His body was found in the mountains near Deerfield Valley, Virginia, on Thursday evening, according to Lt. Anthony Mutti, spokesman for Barnes Air National Guard Base.
The search for the single-seat aircraft was complicated by the remote, wooded location of the crash, near the Virginia-West Virginia border.
Before losing contact, Fontenot had reported an in-flight emergency, according to Col. James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing commander.
The pilot of a F-15 jet that crashed Wednesday in a remote area of the mountains of Virginia died in the accident, military officials at his Massachusetts base said late Thursday.
The pilot was with the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. The single-seat jet was being transferred from Massachusetts to a base in New Orleans to receive a radar system upgrade when it lost contact with air traffic controllers in the D.C. area about 9 a.m. Wednesday, officials said.
The pilot had reported an in-flight emergency before losing communications, authorities said, but they did not specify what trouble the plane encountered.
The name of the pilot has not been released.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and we are doing all we can to support them during this very difficult time,” Col. James Keefe, commander of the 104th Fighter Wing, said in a release. “We ask that everyone respect the privacy of the family and allow them the time they need to grieve.”
The statement released no details about what may have caused the crash, or where the pilot was found. Air National Guard officials said they expected to release the name of the pilot Friday morning and that the investigation into the crash may last up to five weeks.
The jet crashed in George Washington National Forest about 160 miles southwest of Washington, and Virginia State police were alerted by residents who heard the crash in Augusta County. State police said heavy smoke was spotted coming from the side of a mountain in that area.
Keefe said at a news conference Wednesday in Westfield, Mass., home of the fighter wing, that the plane was flying at about 30,000 to 40,000 feet when the pilot reported the emergency Wednesday morning, the Associated Press reported.
F-15s are maneuverable tactical fighters that can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the Air Force Web site.
DEERFIELD, Va. (WJLA/ABC News/AP) -- A Massachusetts Air National Guard F-15C jet crashed Wednesday along a mountainside in the George Washington National Forest of western Virginia, authorities said, but the fate of the pilot was unknown.
The crash occurred shortly after 9 a.m. west of Staunton in the rural community of Deerfield in Augusta County (about 135 miles northwest of Richmond). The area around Deerfield is filled with rocky, steep terrain.
Residents who live in the town of 130 people were shaken when they heard a series of explosions-like booms and then saw a pillar of heavy, black smoke coming from the crash site.
"It's the loudest noise I've ever heard," said 63-year-old Rebecca Shinaberry, who lives on a farm about two miles away. "(It) just shook the ground, and from my house we could just see a big plume of smoke."
Turkey farmer A.D. Shinaberry said that from the first two booms, he thought a plane had broken the sound barrier. But 10 seconds later he heard a third boom - the crash, he said.
Then, "it was like a mushroom, black smoke came up," Shinaberry said.
No injuries on the ground were reported. Virginia State Police launched a helicopter to search for the pilot, who may have ejected from the plane before impact. Witnesses reportedly saw an ejection chute.
"We are hopeful that the pilot is OK, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers," said Col. James Keefe, commander of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.
State troopers and firefighters followed the smoke from Deerfield about five miles into the forest, where they found a deep crater and a large debris field among the hills and mountains.
Rescuers initially expressed concern about possible toxic fumes and radioactive materials, but Keefe said the plane had no munitions aboard - just fuel.
Guard officials confirmed to ABC7 News that communication with the jet had been lost prior to the crash; the pilot reported an "in-flight emergency" moments before radio contact ceased.
The plane was traveling at a high altitude, about 30,000 to 40,000 feet, when the "extremely experienced" pilot reported encountering a problem, officials said.
The jet was on a maintenance flight from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts. which is home to the 104th Fighter Wing.
Base officials told ABC7 the crashed jet was an older aircraft due to receive a system upgrade upon arrival at its flight destination in New Orleans, Louisiana.
F-15s are maneuverable tactical fighters that can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the U.S. Air Force website. The F-15C Eagle entered the Air Force inventory in 1979 and costs nearly $30 million, the website says. The Air Force has nearly 250 of them.
A Massachusetts Guard spokesman said he "couldn't even remember the last time they had a mishap" with the F-15C model aircraft.
But the Associated Press reported that several F-15s have crashed over the past few years in various states. In at least one, the pilot ejected safely. Causes included failure of a support structure for the jet and pilot error.
Read more: http://www.wjla.com
Col
James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, Massachusetts Air National
Guard speaks to the media outside Barnes Air National Guard base in
Westfield Massachusetts about the loss of one their F15C fighter jets
over the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia this morning, August 27, 2014. No
information was given about the status of the pilot or the pilot's
identity.
Corinne
Gellar, spokesperson for the Virginia State Police, addresses members
of the media in a press conference at the mobile command center at the
Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department in Deerfield on Wednesday, August
27, 2014.
A helicopter takes off close to the scene of a crashed F-15C jet near Deerfield on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014.
Two
individuals walk away from a helicopter that landed near the mobile
command center at the Deerfield Volunteer Fire Department in Deerfield
on Wednesday, August 27, 2014. The helicopter is one of several being
used in a search and rescue mission to locate the missing pilot of an
F15c fighter jet which crashed into a mountain near Elliotts Knob in
Augusta County.
Old
Parkersburg Turnpike is closed off to traffic following the crash of an
F15c fighter jet which crashed into a mountain near Elliotts Knob in
Augusta County on Wednesday, August 27, 2014. The helicopter is one of
several being used in a search and rescue mission to locate the missing
pilot of an F15c fighter jet which crashed into a mountain near Elliotts
Knob in Augusta County.
Augusta
County Sheriff's deputy Jeremy McManaway, center, talks with an Augusta
County Fire and Rescue emergency responder close to the scene of a
crashed F-15C jet near Deerfield on Aug. 27, 2014.
A helicopter searches over the crash site of an F15c fighter jet near Deerfield, VA August 27, 2014.
ELLIOT KNOB - As the search continues for a jet pilot, at least seven helicopters are searching the area east of Deerfield and beyond. And the Department of Defense is sending a team down to the local command center.
A fighter jet from a Massachusetts Air National Guard unit crashed into a mountain near Elliot Knob in Augusta County on Wednesday morning, leaving a plume of heavy smoke and a wide field of debris.
The crash happened in a remote area of the George Washington National Forest, off Cold Spring Road, and the pilot's whereabouts were unknown in the early afternoon.
The jet was an F-15C "Eagle" from the Air National Guard's 104th Fighter Wing based in Westfield, Massachusetts. At the base's 2 p.m. press conference, a colonel said normal procedure in a wooded area is to release your equipment -- meaning the pilot, if he or she ejected, would not have his radio.
More equipment and personnel are coming to help look for the pilot, said Col. James Keefe. The pilot contacted radio control at 9:05 a.m. and was at a high altitude when he or she discovered there was a problem with the plane.
The colonel said the F-15C jet isn't typically an intense combat jet and doesn't usually see problems or crashes.
"I can't even tell you the last time we had a mishap in the F-15C model," Keefe said. This jet was en route to New Orleans to get a new radar system.
Witnesses reported to the sheriff's department that they saw a parachute in the air near the scene, which could indicate that the pilot ejected before impact. No one on the ground was injured, and there was no report of damage to structures on the ground.
The aircraft crashed after 9 a.m. in an area northwest of Elliot Knob and northeast of Deerfield, according to the Virginia State Police.
Witnesses described a frightful explosion.
"I literally woke up to feeling it crash … scary," Ashley-Brandon Brown said on Facebook.
Todd Shiflett was working on a house and saw what he said was a jet plane go down near Hodges Draft.
Vince Wood was working on a house in Deerfield when he heard and felt one boom. After a silence, he heard another boom, Wood said.
At about that time, the 104th Fighter Wing received a report of an in-flight emergency from the F15-C just before losing radio contact with it, according to a release from Barnes Air National Guard Base, home of the 104th Wing.
Col. James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, said in a release: "We are hopeful that the pilot is ok, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers as the events of this incident unfold."
The jet is a one-seater and was on a cross-country mission over the Shenandoah Valley for a system upgrade. No munitions were on board, the release said.
Local emergency crews rushed to the scene in the national forest.
"I'm on location, with smoke, and we do have debris," said a breathless responder on emergency radio frequencies at 10:04 a.m. "I got debris everywhere... I haven't located anybody."
A witness told authorities they saw an ejection from the jet and a parachute, according to scanner traffic.
The crash site is wooded and sparsely-populated national forest area. About 1 million acres of the George Washington Forest lies within Virginia, covering 29 percent of Augusta County.
Besides the State police, the Deerfield Fire and Rescue Department, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office and the FBI were among the agencies who responded to the scene. Search dogs and helicopters were deployed to look for the pilot.
The 104th Fighter Wing employs over 700 traditional guardsmen and more than 300 technicians. The unit supports Air Force wartime efforts, and organizes, trains and equips personnel to provide an operationally ready squadron to the Air Combat Command.
http://www.newsleader.com
Authorities
are still searching for the pilot of a single-seat F-15C fighter jet
that crashed in the mountains near Deerfield Virginia Wednesday morning.
Officials say the pilot reported an inflight emergency around 9:00 Wednesday morning, then lost radio contact. According to a statement by the Virginia National Guard, "The pilot flying the F-15C made a report of an in flight emergency prior to radio contact being lost. Subsequently there were reports of dark smoke being seen around the aircrafts last known whereabouts. Local law enforcement arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft crashed."
No injuries were reported on the ground as authorities located the crash site through heavy smoke on a mountainside.
Col. James Keefe of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard said at a news conference in Westfield, Massachusetts, that the missing pilot is an experienced flyer. He said the plane was on its way to New Orleans to have a radar installed as part of routine maintenance.
"Information on this incident is developing rapidly, and we are not going to speculate on what occurred or the status of the pilot," Col James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the pilot is OK, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers."
A helicopter, hazmat crews and emergency responders are on the scene. The crash is in a rural part of the county, right in the middle of the George Washington National Forest, near Deerfield Valley Road. Virginia State Police and the Augusta County Sheriff's Office have blocked off the road near the scene and have set up a command center. No one except for investigators are allowed to go through.
Officials say the clean up is not going to be a quick process because with a jet plane you're dealing with toxic chemicals. We're told the cleanup will likely last into Thursday.
F-15s are maneuverable tactical fighters that can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the Air Force website. The F-15C Eagle entered the Air Force inventory in 1979 and costs nearly $30 million, the website says. The Air Force has nearly 250 of them.
NBC29's Sean Cudahy is at the scene, we will bring you updates as they become available.
Virginia State Police Statement:
At 9:06 a.m. Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2014), Virginia State Police were notified of a plane crash in the Deerfield community of Augusta County. A crash site has been visually located due to heavy smoke coming from the side of a nearby mountain. State police, with the assistance of the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, are working to reach the crash site at this time.
Officials say the pilot reported an inflight emergency around 9:00 Wednesday morning, then lost radio contact. According to a statement by the Virginia National Guard, "The pilot flying the F-15C made a report of an in flight emergency prior to radio contact being lost. Subsequently there were reports of dark smoke being seen around the aircrafts last known whereabouts. Local law enforcement arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft crashed."
No injuries were reported on the ground as authorities located the crash site through heavy smoke on a mountainside.
Col. James Keefe of the 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard said at a news conference in Westfield, Massachusetts, that the missing pilot is an experienced flyer. He said the plane was on its way to New Orleans to have a radar installed as part of routine maintenance.
"Information on this incident is developing rapidly, and we are not going to speculate on what occurred or the status of the pilot," Col James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander, said in a statement. "We are hopeful that the pilot is OK, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers."
A helicopter, hazmat crews and emergency responders are on the scene. The crash is in a rural part of the county, right in the middle of the George Washington National Forest, near Deerfield Valley Road. Virginia State Police and the Augusta County Sheriff's Office have blocked off the road near the scene and have set up a command center. No one except for investigators are allowed to go through.
Officials say the clean up is not going to be a quick process because with a jet plane you're dealing with toxic chemicals. We're told the cleanup will likely last into Thursday.
F-15s are maneuverable tactical fighters that can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the Air Force website. The F-15C Eagle entered the Air Force inventory in 1979 and costs nearly $30 million, the website says. The Air Force has nearly 250 of them.
NBC29's Sean Cudahy is at the scene, we will bring you updates as they become available.
Virginia State Police Statement:
At 9:06 a.m. Wednesday (Aug. 27, 2014), Virginia State Police were notified of a plane crash in the Deerfield community of Augusta County. A crash site has been visually located due to heavy smoke coming from the side of a nearby mountain. State police, with the assistance of the Augusta County Sheriff's Office, are working to reach the crash site at this time.
There have been no reported injuries on the ground – meaning no local residents have been injured as a result of the crash.
VSP is not confirming the type of aircraft until crews reach the wreckage.
Virginia National Guard Press Release:
Press Release Barnes Air National Guard Base
104th Fighter Wing - Public Affairs Office
175 Falcon Drive, Westfield, MA 01085
MEDIA ALERT
104th Fighter Wing Aircraft Crash Over Shenandoah Valley Virginia
(BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, 104TH FIGHTER WING , Westfield, Mass., August 27, 2014)- At approximately 9:05 a.m. today the 104th Fighter Wing lost radio contact with an F-15C aircraft during a cross country mission over the Shenandoah Valley Virginia.
The pilot flying the F-15C made a report of an inflight emergency prior to radio contact being lost. Subsequently there were reports of dark smoke being seen around the aircrafts last known whereabouts. Local law enforcement arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft crashed.
"Information on this incident is developing rapidly and we are not going to speculate on what occurred or the status of the pilot", said Col James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander. "We are hopeful that the pilot is ok, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers as the events of this incident unfold."
The F-15C aircraft was in route to receive a system upgrade, and there were no munitions on the aircraft during this cross-country trip.
At this point the status of the pilot is not confirmed.
An initial press conference is tentatively scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the 104th Fighter Wing. More information will be released once available.
Mr. Cotton Puryear
Va. Army National Guard (Retired)
State Public Affairs Officer
Virginia National Guard
- Story and Comments: http://www.nbc29.com
VSP is not confirming the type of aircraft until crews reach the wreckage.
Virginia National Guard Press Release:
Press Release Barnes Air National Guard Base
104th Fighter Wing - Public Affairs Office
175 Falcon Drive, Westfield, MA 01085
MEDIA ALERT
104th Fighter Wing Aircraft Crash Over Shenandoah Valley Virginia
(BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, 104TH FIGHTER WING , Westfield, Mass., August 27, 2014)- At approximately 9:05 a.m. today the 104th Fighter Wing lost radio contact with an F-15C aircraft during a cross country mission over the Shenandoah Valley Virginia.
The pilot flying the F-15C made a report of an inflight emergency prior to radio contact being lost. Subsequently there were reports of dark smoke being seen around the aircrafts last known whereabouts. Local law enforcement arrived on scene and confirmed the aircraft crashed.
"Information on this incident is developing rapidly and we are not going to speculate on what occurred or the status of the pilot", said Col James Keefe, 104th Fighter Wing Commander. "We are hopeful that the pilot is ok, and the pilot will be in our thoughts and prayers as the events of this incident unfold."
The F-15C aircraft was in route to receive a system upgrade, and there were no munitions on the aircraft during this cross-country trip.
At this point the status of the pilot is not confirmed.
An initial press conference is tentatively scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the 104th Fighter Wing. More information will be released once available.
Mr. Cotton Puryear
Va. Army National Guard (Retired)
State Public Affairs Officer
Virginia National Guard
- Story and Comments: http://www.nbc29.com
Retired Federal Aviation Administration inspector explains crash process
Retired Federal Aviation Administration crash inspector, Phyllis Duncan talks about the process for examining a plane crash scene and putting the pieces together to determine what happened.
“Chaotic is a loaded word,” said Duncan, who worked with the FAA for 30 years before retiring 5 years ago. “By the time the FAA has arrived, local law enforcement have secured the scene.”
Although Wednesday’s McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle plane crash out of Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass., involved a military aircraft, rather than a general aviation craft, the processing of the crash site is pretty much the same, Duncan said.
Local law enforcement arrive first to secure the scene and asses the condition of the pilot and passengers.
“For that there will be some heightened activity,” Duncan said. “To see if anybody survived, there will be some running around.”
It has been confirmed that the pilot was the only individual on board.
Once the scene is secure, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board arrive to examine the downed aircraft.
Because the plane that crashed in Deerfield is a military craft, a military investigator will be the one to process the scene, not the FAA or transportation safety board, Duncan said, but what they’re looking for is the same.
“You don’t want anything touched or moved,” she said. “Then there will be a forensic exam of the crash.”
Investigators will also interview any witnesses and talk to first responders. Once they conclude the on-site exam of a plane crash, an insurance company will take possession of the remnants if the craft is owned by an airport or a private citizen.
For the next year investigators will pour over pilot, plane and maintenance records to determine why and how the crash occurred, Duncan said.
“We don’t make any decisions or conclusions at the site,” she said. “Other than the facts, such as the kind of aircraft, flight plan, who is on board, where they took off and where they intended to go.”
Although no definitive conclusions are made based on the scene, experienced investigators know what to look for to shed light on the last moments before the plane crashed.
For example, if there isn’t a fire at the scene except for a small electrical fire, that indicates that the plane likely ran out of gas, Duncan said.
If the propellers of a plane are undamaged that often means the engine quit before the crash. And if there are burned out circuit breakers discovered, that means the warning light was on prior to the crash, she said.
“It’s a sobering thing to do,” Duncan said of investigating plane crashes.
In the end, it’s the paper trail from the plane and the pilot that sheds the most light on what happened. But it can take many months.
“I look at it like a puzzle,” Duncan said. “I get all of the pieces together and give them to the NTSB.”
- Source: http://www.newsleader.com
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