What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 11, 2025, at approximately 2:39 pm local time, a NASA T-38 talon, a two seat jet aircraft touched down approximately 4-6 feet short of the concrete runway end of runway 18 at Stennis International Airport in Kiln, MS a civilian airport situated near the I-10 highway.
The T-38’S left tire struck the lip of the runway end, causing it to blow out. The right landing gear simultaneously struck one of the runway end identification lights, severing the light unit and support tube from its mount on the runway.
Debris was scattering for a distance down the runway. The pilot apparently was able to maintain control of the aircraft as it slowed, eventually turning off onto a taxiway clear of the runway. Beginning at touch down then a hop roughly 10 feet from the runway edge there were black skid marks for both wheels continuing for approximately 40 feet down the runway. A gouge mark could be seen on the runway for the full distance the aircraft traveled, after the skid marks.
Upon inspection by personnel from the jackson, MS FSDO it was noted that the left tire and wheel were damaged with only part of the wheel and tire remaining after rolling down the runway. Tire debris could be seen on the bottom of the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. No damage was noted to the right landing gear.
No other visible damage could be seen, but due to the high energy of the impact with the edge of the concrete runway, further damage could exist in the landing gear strut assembly and the attachment points in the wing.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 11, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 2:39 PM LOCAL TIME, A NASA T-38 TALON, A TWO SEAT JET AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 4-6 FEET SHORT OF THE CONCRETE RUNWAY END OF RUNWAY 18 AT STENNIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN KILN, MS A CIVILIAN AIRPORT SITUATED NEAR THE I-10 HIGHWAY.
THE T-38’S LEFT TIRE STRUCK THE LIP OF THE RUNWAY END, CAUSING IT TO BLOW OUT. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY STRUCK ONE OF THE RUNWAY END IDENTIFICATION LIGHTS, SEVERING THE LIGHT UNIT AND SUPPORT TUBE FROM ITS MOUNT ON THE RUNWAY.
DEBRIS WAS SCATTERING FOR A DISTANCE DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT APPARENTLY WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT SLOWED, EVENTUALLY TURNING OFF ONTO A TAXIWAY CLEAR OF THE RUNWAY. BEGINNING AT TOUCH DOWN THEN A HOP ROUGHLY 10 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY EDGE THERE WERE BLACK SKID MARKS FOR BOTH WHEELS CONTINUING FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY. A GOUGE MARK COULD BE SEEN ON THE RUNWAY FOR THE FULL DISTANCE THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED, AFTER THE SKID MARKS.
UPON INSPECTION BY PERSONNEL FROM THE JACKSON, MS FSDO IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LEFT TIRE AND WHEEL WERE DAMAGED WITH ONLY PART OF THE WHEEL AND TIRE REMAINING AFTER ROLLING DOWN THE RUNWAY. TIRE DEBRIS COULD BE SEEN ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LEFT WING AND LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. NO DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR.
NO OTHER VISIBLE DAMAGE COULD BE SEEN, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH ENERGY OF THE IMPACT WITH THE EDGE OF THE CONCRETE RUNWAY, FURTHER DAMAGE COULD EXIST IN THE LANDING GEAR STRUT ASSEMBLY AND THE ATTACHMENT POINTS IN THE WING.