USAF Report: Student Pilot Error Destroyed $18M OA-1K Skyraider II

A U.S. Air Force Accident Investigation Board (AIB) report has confirmed that an OA-1K Skyraider II was destroyed in October 2025 after a student pilot inadvertently shut off the aircraft's fuel supply during a training mission near Oklahoma City, resulting in approximately $17.9 million in damages. The aircraft was declared a total loss.

According to the AIB, the student pilot mistakenly rotated the fuel shutoff valve to the "off" position while attempting to manipulate the fuselage fuel tank valve during a systems check, isolating fuel flow at the firewall and starving the engine. Although the pilot eventually returned the valve to the "on" position, the AIB found that a failure to immediately inform the instructor pilot contributed to a loss of situational awareness. The investigation, led by Col. Joshua W. Petry, cited task saturation and ineffective crew resource management (CRM) as primary contributing factors, noting the student was simultaneously managing aircraft control, communications and checklist duties. The report also criticized the instructor pilot's decision to proceed directly to a forced landing rather than attempting an emergency engine relight.

Both the active-duty student pilot and the civilian contractor instructor escaped uninjured. The OA-1K — built by L3Harris for the Air Force Special Operations Command's Armed Overwatch program — sustained significant structural damage, including a stop sign becoming lodged in the wing during its descent into a rural field. AFSOC said the AIB's findings will be used to improve training and safety procedures across the OA-1K fleet.