Author Topic: FA18 Hornet Goes Down (Read 3286 times)

proparc · « **on:** September 14, 2012, 11:47:02 AM »

Photo Sequence of a July 23, 2010 crash of a Canadian FA18 Hornet in Lethbridge Canada

Claudio Chacon · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:09:14 PM »

Damn! Thanks God the pilot landed safe and sound.
It seems that one of the engines died?

proparc · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:36:11 PM »

Take a close look at the vanes on the left engine. They are fully opened. Instantaneous loss of power in that engine. He had no chance to save it. The G's from the ejection pinned his head against the seat.

One FA18 pilot who had to emergency eject, lost 1" in height permanently as a result. He was recertified to fly again, 1" shorter!!

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2012, 12:45:09 PM »

? This accident happened a couple of years ago as a Canadian CF-18 pilot was practising for an airshow. The right engine has flamed out, the left engine is still on in afterburner. There are some configurations and speeds where one engine in max ab and the other in idle or dead can very rapidly put the aircraft in a difficult position.

David Russum · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2012, 01:38:42 PM »

Very similar to the MiG-29 crash at the Paris Air Show many years ago, even to the lick of flame from the dead engine on impact....

Claudio Chacon · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2012, 02:39:01 PM »

Quote from: David Russum on September 14, 2012, 01:38:42 PM

Very similar to the MiG-29 crash at the Paris Air Show many years ago, even to the lick of flame from the dead engine on impact....

Yes, you're right. I remember that one. Le Bourget, 1989.

Bill Little · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2012, 03:15:19 PM »

I'm happy that the pilot had enough time to punch out, even if the altitude was very low. It's better to be an inch shorter than the alternative!

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

rustler · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2012, 03:34:44 PM »

Quote from: proparc on September 14, 2012, 12:36:11 PM

...one FA18 pilot who had to emergency eject, lost 1" in height permanently as a result. He was recertified to fly again, 1" shorter!!

If you can lose an inch in compression, couldn't you regain it by being stretched? This is old technology, - the medievals called it The Rack!!

proparc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2012, 03:48:22 PM »

Quote from: rustler on September 14, 2012, 03:34:44 PM

If you can lose an inch in compression, couldn't you regain it by being stretched? This is old technology, - the medievals called it The Rack!!

Scott Hartford · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2012, 03:50:39 PM »

If you heat 'em up real nice they'll stretch without cracking....

Bruce Perry · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2012, 05:16:53 PM »

While I fully understand the nature intended in the remarks, I wouldn't think of suggesting any of your servicemen be subjected to the rack or heated to ensure they didn't crack.... A modicum of respect please.

Mike Keville · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2012, 05:20:21 PM »

You beat me to it, Bruce. Those earlier remarks were totally inappropriate.

proparc · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2012, 05:23:09 PM »

Quote from: Bruce Perry on September 14, 2012, 05:16:53 PM

While I fully understand the nature intended in the remarks, I wouldn't think of suggesting any of your servicemen be subjected to the rack or heated to ensure they didn't crack.... A modicum of respect please.

The American pilot who this actually happened to, cracked his own jokes about it on camera. If he can take his experience with humor and a grain of salt, so can we!

Douglas Ames · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2012, 06:33:19 PM »

Quote from: Bruce Perry on September 14, 2012, 05:16:53 PM

While I fully understand the nature intended in the remarks, I wouldn't think of suggesting any of your servicemen be subjected to the rack or heated to ensure they didn't crack.... A modicum of respect please.

It actually feels good if done right!

Bruce Perry · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2012, 09:37:10 PM »

Prop arc

Really?? It's CANADIAN forces pilot Capt Brian Bews......

you demonstrate the point perfectly

don Burke · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2012, 09:46:33 PM »

The general public has no knowledge of the trauma involved in using an ejection seat. There are many different manufacturers of seats and many different military specs on max acceleration during the ejection. Even the mildest seats subject the pilot to 14 G's. Also a lot depends on how tight the pilot has his seat belt. Any looseness in the belts makes the slam to the spine worse.

A seat engineer I talked to one time said to me, "You have to be awfully mad at your airplane to pull those handles!"

PerttiMe · « **Reply #16 on:** September 15, 2012, 01:26:47 AM »

I believe earlier ejection seat models were even more violent than current ones.

A couple of years ago there was an incident where a Hornet ended up as a smudge at the edge of a field. I recall a valve in the control system had failed during some extreme maneuvers on a test flight, and the whole control system was disabled. The pilots ejected in a vertical dive. Exact injuries were never listed in public, except for mentions of "severe fractures".

john e. holliday · « **Reply #17 on:** September 15, 2012, 08:55:43 AM »

Can't find it now, but there was a Navy pilot that ejected after an aborted landing. I guess he didn't make it as the plane was almost upside down when he ejected.

proparc · « **Reply #18 on:** September 15, 2012, 10:04:30 AM »

Quote from: Bruce Perry on September 14, 2012, 09:37:10 PM

Prop arc

Really?? It's CANADIAN forces pilot Capt Brian Bews......

you demonstrate the point perfectly

In my prior post, I had two separate paragraphs,talking about two separate incidences. The crash sequence pictures is Bews who is Canadian, our "shortened" warrior is American.

Supposedly, the Russians have the best ejections seats. They have these long stabilizing bars that pop out behind the pilot and stabilize the seat almost instantly.

PerttiMe · « **Reply #19 on:** September 15, 2012, 10:36:22 AM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on September 15, 2012, 08:55:43 AM

Can't find it now, but there was a Navy pilot that ejected after an aborted landing.

Ejecting on the ground seems to be a standard procedure when things go wrong. Happens all the time

The latest one I remember was at a Finnish air force base in 2011: they were practicing night landings without lights, using night vision goggles. One landed on a lighted taxiway instead, and started drifting to the snow banks. "As instructed" the pilot ejected. The aircraft is expected to fly again in 2013.