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Pilot Who Dropped Bomb on Canadians Didn't Follow Procedures, Preliminary Report Says
Wednesday, June 19, 2002
(4:49 PM ET)
By Robert Burns
Associated Press Writer

A key question from the beginning of the investigation was why Schmidt did not realize he was overflying an area where Canadian infantry troops were conducting a live-fire, nighttime exercise. One official said the investigation found that the preflight briefing given to Schmidt and the pilot of a second plane flying with him had included mention of the fact that the Canadians were exercising there.

WASHINGTON -- AP
The U.S. Air National Guard F-16 pilot who mistakenly bombed Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan in April did not follow proper procedures to ensure that his target was hostile, U.S. officials said Wednesday.

The officials said it was possible the pilot would face judicial action, likely an Article 32 hearing under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Such a hearing is similar to a civilian grand jury.

A joint American-Canadian investigation, which included interviews with more than 70 people, concluded that the pilot, Maj. Harry Schmidt of the Illinois Air National Guard, acted in haste in dropping a 500-pound bomb on the Canadians, the officials said. They spoke on condition that they not be identified.

Schmidt told investigators he believed he was under attack from the ground and fired in self defense.

The findings of the investigation have yet to be reviewed by senior U.S. military officers, including Army Gen. Tommy Franks, commander of the U.S. Central Command, and the commander of Central Command air forces, Lt. Gen. Michael Moseley.

The preliminary findings were first reported in Wednesday's editions of The New York Times.
(More: New Jersey Online News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

Dan