4 ms·

Fighter jet crash averted by defect in civil ejection incident

34 points by smacktoward 7y ago

desine 7y ago
I love stories where absolutely everything goes wrong, lessons are learned, and at the end of the day everyone goes home safe.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
lonelappde 7y ago
Incredible hubris and stupidity on the part lf many of the people involved, both the desk jockeys and flight support crew. The pilot did a great job in the cockpit, but a terrible job being aware of the state of his passenger -- someone who is entrusted with the power to unilaterally eject the pilot and crash the plane.
pacamara619 7y ago
If people do not lose their jobs over this, I'll be mad. Gross negligence by many people.
baud147258 7y ago
It might have been a big surprise for the pilot, he's taking of for a training mission and BLAM the canopy explodes and his passenger is ejected. But there was an important series of failing on many people involved.
Ancalagon 7y ago
I understand why the protocol is to dump the jet fuel, but also that just feels like an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen.
- valuearb 7y ago
  It evaporates
  - ta999999171 7y ago
    Those Spanish speaking kids disagree... Also, where do you think it goes when it evaporates?
- foxyv 7y ago
  It's essentially pure kerosene, which is extremely volatile, and some anti-corrosion chemicals. Hydrocarbons may be marginally increased in the air for a while, but it's nothing compared to the amount of hydrocarbons released by cars and trucks on a road. Although there have been cases where jets dump fuel too low and it lands on someone without having time to vaporize. For instance one case where a 737 dumped fuel on a playground. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-14/plane-dumps-fuel-on-students-on-school-playground-en-route-to-lax-officials-say https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-14/plane-du...
dhsysusbsjsi 7y ago
Wow the pilot deserves most of the blame here. I have done many pax flights in ejection seat aircraft. - Pilot did not brief the passenger on where to place hands in cockpit to grab (normally there is something safe to hold onto). It is well known they grab for anything instinctively when inverted or negative g, including ejection handle. - Command ejection lever remained on. This is what allows rear seat occupant to eject both. You never leave this on for pax for this exact reason. It’s lucky the command system broke. - Didn’t ensure pax fully strapped in and ready. Seriously wtf. Helmet not even on properly. Straps not tight enough. - Didn’t brief pax on what to expect or flight path. - And most importantly respect pax wishes and go easy. Unless they are pax on an operational mission that requires heavy manoeuvres you do what is comfortable for them otherwise it’s just plain abuse. They are happy just to be airborne with more than an airline window to look at stuff. Sounds like amateur hour.

34 points by smacktoward 7y ago

I love stories where absolutely everything goes wrong, lessons are learned, and at the end of the day everyone goes home safe.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

lonelappde 7y ago

Incredible hubris and stupidity on the part lf many of the people involved, both the desk jockeys and flight support crew. The pilot did a great job in the cockpit, but a terrible job being aware of the state of his passenger -- someone who is entrusted with the power to unilaterally eject the pilot and crash the plane.

pacamara619 7y ago

If people do not lose their jobs over this, I'll be mad. Gross negligence by many people.

baud147258 7y ago

It might have been a big surprise for the pilot, he's taking of for a training mission and BLAM the canopy explodes and his passenger is ejected. But there was an important series of failing on many people involved.

Ancalagon 7y ago

I understand why the protocol is to dump the jet fuel, but also that just feels like an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen.

valuearb 7y ago
It evaporates
- ta999999171 7y ago
  Those Spanish speaking kids disagree... Also, where do you think it goes when it evaporates?
foxyv 7y ago
It's essentially pure kerosene, which is extremely volatile, and some anti-corrosion chemicals. Hydrocarbons may be marginally increased in the air for a while, but it's nothing compared to the amount of hydrocarbons released by cars and trucks on a road. Although there have been cases where jets dump fuel too low and it lands on someone without having time to vaporize. For instance one case where a 737 dumped fuel on a playground. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-14/plane-dumps-fuel-on-students-on-school-playground-en-route-to-lax-officials-say https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-01-14/plane-du...

dhsysusbsjsi 7y ago

Wow the pilot deserves most of the blame here. I have done many pax flights in ejection seat aircraft. - Pilot did not brief the passenger on where to place hands in cockpit to grab (normally there is something safe to hold onto). It is well known they grab for anything instinctively when inverted or negative g, including ejection handle. - Command ejection lever remained on. This is what allows rear seat occupant to eject both. You never leave this on for pax for this exact reason. It’s lucky the command system broke. - Didn’t ensure pax fully strapped in and ready. Seriously wtf. Helmet not even on properly. Straps not tight enough. - Didn’t brief pax on what to expect or flight path. - And most importantly respect pax wishes and go easy. Unless they are pax on an operational mission that requires heavy manoeuvres you do what is comfortable for them otherwise it’s just plain abuse. They are happy just to be airborne with more than an airline window to look at stuff. Sounds like amateur hour.