According to the Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report (released 10 January 2008), a technical analysis of the recovered F-15C wreckage determined that the longeron didnt meet blueprint specifications. This defect led to a series of fatigue cracks in the right upper longeron. These cracks expanded under life cycle stress, causing the longeron to fail, which initiated a catastrophic failure of the remaining support structures and led to the aircraft breaking apart in flight. The one longeron, already not up to design specifications, cracked apart under the stress of a 7G turn, the colonel said. This led to the other longerons failing as well, which then caused the cockpit to separate from the rest of the fuselage. The pilot was able to eject, but suffered a broken arm when the canopy snapped off.
Air Combat Command officials cleared a portion of its F-15 A through D models to begin flying on 09 January 2008. As of that date, the Air Force had approved 60 percent of F-15 A through D models to return to service with no flight restrictions.