BOISE — Air Force officials who reopened the investigation into the Jan. 20 crash of an A-10 Thunderbolt II west of Gowen Field have confirmed the findings of the original accident report.
The crash killed the pilot, Maj. Mark Moynihan. Investigators concluded in May that severe spatial disorientation while flying in bad weather at night was a substantially contributing factor.
Moynihan, 33, was an instructor pilot with the 190th Fighter Squadron of the Idaho Air National Guard's 124th Wing. The crash occurred as he was returning to Boise after a training sortie at the Saylor Creek Air Force Range. He and another A-10A were recalled to Gowen Field due to deteriorating weather.
Despite investigators' original conclusions, Air Combat Command officials reopened the investigation in early October as a result of new information related to the auxiliary power unit and hot air check valve.
However, after interviewing an additional witness, analyzing the original investigation report and examining a key piece of the plane's wreckage, the lead investigator found no evidence that would warrant changing the original findings.
Specifically, investigators found no evidence from the debris analysis pointing to a pre-impact fire or explosion, which would have been consistent with overheating of the auxiliary power unit. Guard officials also said no damage was found to indicate a faulty hot air check valve.