{"id":38971,"date":"2021-11-21T02:04:01","date_gmt":"2021-11-21T02:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/11\/21\/laughlin-air-force-base-identifies-student-pilot-killed-in-t-38c-mishap-friday\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:36:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:36:59","slug":"laughlin-air-force-base-identifies-student-pilot-killed-in-t-38c-mishap-friday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2021\/11\/21\/laughlin-air-force-base-identifies-student-pilot-killed-in-t-38c-mishap-friday\/","title":{"rendered":"Laughlin Air Force Base identifies student pilot killed in T-38C mishap Friday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Laughlin Air Force Base has identified the pilot killed in a mishap Friday morning<\/a> involving two T-38C jets as a student in training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second Lt. Anthony D. Wentz, 23, of Falcon, Colo., a student pilot with the 47th Student Squadron, was killed in the mishap on a runway of the Texas base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wentz was a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two other pilots were injured, one critically, in the accident Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pilot in critical condition was airlifted to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, the 47th Flying Training Wing said in a Friday evening release. The other injured pilot was treated and released from Val Verde Regional Medical Center in Del Rio, where the base is located along the border with Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA loss such as this affects us all, but one thing we never fail to do in times of crisis is come together, support one another, and respond,\u201d said Col. Craig Prather, 47th Flying Training Wing commander. \u201cOur focus remains on supporting the families involved and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with them and our teammates today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a May 2016 article about Falcon High School students who had been accepted to military academies, which appeared in in The Gazette<\/a> of Colorado Springs, Wentz said he was eager to join his brother, who was finishing his freshman year at West Point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the perks is that it\u2019s free,\u201d Wentz said. \u201cYou get a paycheck every month and a really good education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wentz\u2019s father was in the Air Force, according to The Gazette. At the time the story was published, Wentz wanted to study mechanical engineering, like his brother, and become an Apache helicopter pilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to serve in the military,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force hasn\u2019t disclosed information about the circumstances of the accident, which occurred around 10 a.m. Friday and is under investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\t