DEL RIO, Texas — A supersonic jet crashed shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday at a military base near the U.S.-Mexico border, killing one pilot and hospitalizing another.
The deceased, Capt. John F. Graziano, 28, was an instructor pilot with the 87th Flying Training Squadron at Laughlin AFB, officials said. He was from Elkridge, Maryland and is survived by his mother, father, sisters and brother.
According to a post on Laughlin Air Force Base’s Facebook page, that other victim was taken to Val Verde Regional Medical Center. Capt. Mark S. Palyok, an instructor pilot, also with the 87th FTS. He was transported to Val Verde Regional Medical Center where he was treated for his injuries and released on Wednesday.
The crash involved a T-38 Talon—which the Air Force's website describes as a “twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles,” including preparing pilots “for front-line fighter and bomber aircraft." The Air Force announced in February that it will phase out the model in coming years.
No other details on the cause of the crash were given, but an investigation is expected.
Laughlin AFB is about 150 miles west of San Antonio, near Del Rio.