SEARCH crews have scoured thick bushland in Wishart looking for a ‘large object’ seen falling from the sky off a Pitch Black aircraft only hours after the exercise began.

Australian air force, Defence and NT Police and Emegency Services were out in force Monday afternoon searching for the fallen object in a closed-off area of bushland adjacent to Tiger Brennan Drive.

Witness Trey Branson said he was parked near the Puma service station on Wishart Rd when a large metal object that looked like a “fuel tank” fell nearby.

“We tried following it in my car,” he said.

“Looks like it dropped very, very close to the Power and Water workers who were in their power yard sub station behind the servo.

“Could see from the service road some power and water workers all staring towards where it landed. Just missed them. Felt it hit the ground.

“The two workers that were in the cherrypicker in the air working must need to change their pants.”

EPIC TAKEOFF AS PITCH BLACK AIRCRAFT TAKE TO THE NT SKIES

Don Dale detention centre worker John Mackay said he was watching some of the Pitch Black jets flying in for landing around midday when he saw “a large black rectangle object” fall from one of them.

“The whole time I was thinking: What the hell is that?” he said.

“It looked like it could have been a big blade or a rudder or something.

“It was spinning and whirling before it landed in the bush around Berrimah Rd.

“Last time something fell from a plane, it happened out that way too. It’s a bit of a worry.”

Shayne Melbourne from Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift and Shift said a member of their staff was driving along Tivendale Rd when he saw the unknown object fall.

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“He thought it might have been a bomb,” he said.

“It looked pretty big, a few meters long.”

Lt Col Joseph Miranda, 80th Fighter Squadron commander, said the United States Air Force F-16 experienced a malfunction on takeoff at RAAF Base Darwin.

“The pilot jettisoned the aircraft’s external fuel tank in accordance with emergency checklist procedures and safely recovered the aircraft at RAAF Base Darwin,” LTCOL Miranda said.

“United States Air Force officials are working closely with the Royal Australian Air Force to ensure the safety of the public and environment.”

The Royal Australian Air Force is on site with Northern Territory Police to carry out an assessment of the location and future recovery of the item near Darwin.

Air Commodore Mike Kitcher, Officer Conducting Exercise PITCH BLACK 18, said the aircraft returned safely to RAAF Base Darwin without further incident about 11.40am local Darwin time.

“Safety is our highest priority and in accordance with our usual environmental considerations, a spill kit trailer has been deployed to the site,” AIRCDRE Kitcher said.

“The ADF can confirm the fuel tank was located in bushland south of Darwin and there has been no significant damage to property.

“Northern Territory Emergency Services have been advised and we will continue to work with them.”

Flying activities for Exercise PITCH BLACK 18 will continue as programmed.