Minnesota Airport Runway Debris Causes Fighter Jet Engine Damage

About a dozen jets from the Air National Guard 148th Fighter Wing have been grounded because of damage apparently caused by debris on the runway at the Duluth International Airport.

Fighter Wing Capt. Jodi Kiminski says crews regularly check for foreign object damage and recently found metal fragments have caused problems for the F-16s.

Kiminski says the fragments are believed to have been shed from the bristles of a snow removing machine used on the airport runway. Kiminski says the jets have been grounded for about a week and are being repaired. WDIO-TV reports that could take a couple more days.

Kiminski said they don’t have a dollar estimate for the damage yet, but she calls it significant. The Duluth Airport Authority director did not immediately return a call for comment.