Fun with Navy accident reports

The Navy released the accident report for the August 9, 2017 F-5N crash. The aircraft, belonging to VFC-111, crashed during air combat maneuvering off the Florida Keys and sank in 3,000 feet of water. The pilot successfully ejected and was rescued.

The report stated that “all reasonably available evidence was collected and revealed no adverse line of duty or misconduct determination", and that mechanical failure was not the apparent cause. That's where the fun starts. The report goes on to state that the pilot began the fight at an altitude where certain maneuvers were prohibited. It goes on to say that, according to the pilot statement, the aircraft went into the vertical at the "Fight's on" call, but the nose was tracking slow, passing through 70 degrees. As he attempted to prevent the nose from getting parked close to vertical, the right rudder input seemed sluggish. The aircraft eventually went inverted, and into a left hand flat spin as it departed controlled flight. The pilot ejected from an inverted position below 8,000 feet.

Routine flight training nearly turned deadly last year when a F-5N Tiger II tactical fighter stalled out before inverting and plummeting toward the sea, according to an investigation obtained by Navy Times.

The Navy reservist pilot was able to eject safely from the jet before it crashed into waters off the Florida Keys on Aug. 9, 2017.

But a redacted copy of the mishap reveals a harrowing few minutes for the uninjured pilot and offers a firsthand look at the frantic realities of parachuting into open waters.

It does not blame anyone for the mishap or recommend discipline against the aviator but notes that he was flying at an altitude where certain aerial maneuvers are prohibited when the jet lost control.

“All reasonably available evidence was collected and revealed no adverse line of duty or misconduct determination,” the investigator wrote.

www.navytimes.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

Was the pilot climbing at the time. (Ejects at 8,000). I ask this because I don't know what the ceiling for the fight was. Perhaps he initiated a manoeuvre to get altitude for the 'fight' and that's when the machine failed.

Kind regards,

bally

My first 4 years in the USAF our safety day was always videos of Navy mishaps.

That said... wow dude is lucky to be able to give a statement.

a reply to: bally001

He was right at the lower limit of the fight area, and was actually below the limit for some maneuvers. He started the fight by going vertical, and was climbing when the aircraft departed controlled flight, and went into the inverted flat spin. He had dropped down below 8,000 feet, which is usually the altitude at which you either pull the handles, or start seriously consider reaching for them.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Cheers, thanks for that answer. I was seeking the fight altitude. Can I assume it's between 12,000 and 15,000.

I say this because 10,000 plus sees the pilot in the clear. (8,000 eject) 2,000 feet with throttle and stick, meh!

Kind regards,

bally

a reply to: bally001

They probably got close to that. They usually set the "deck" around 10,000.

a reply to: Zaphod58

yeah, pilot was in the right then. Seconds to above 10 grand, seconds to 8 grand. Responding to a situ. I do remember 12 to 15 in my neck of the woods.

Kind regards,

bally

a reply to: Irishhaf

There was an F-18 on an FCF-A off ship last year, after something like 95 days down. The pilot, a Captain, was told that the MIDS would work fine on deck, but would drop out and not come back until over the ship. He started leaking hydraulic fluid, lost an engine, had a new tower controller who was rushing things, he restarted the bad engine, to try to kill the yaw, wound up pushing the good engine to afterburner, which put him out of control, and he ejected. He managed to count to five before hitting the water.

Report basically put all the blame on him. He was apparently supposed to fly the aircraft, dealing with the problems he was seeing, slow things down, guide the controller to the correct emergency pages, so the controller could help with with the Dash One procedures, and get the jet on the deck.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I remember a pilot. Baddams. A4 Shot off the deck. Nosed dived in the water. Carrier went over the top. He pulled up behind the carrier.

Same bloke couple of years later, A4, lost a wheel doing touch and go's. Had to have an A4 tanker top him up, flew to Amberley from recollection. Gear up landing on empty drop tanks. Saved the scooter.

Good head on those shoulders.

Kind regards,

bally

a reply to: bally001

We had a guy in an A-4 shut down one runway at Honolulu International after sliding it in on the externals, without the gear. They raised it, pinned the wheels so they were locked down, and flew it to a Marine unit that flew A-4s to check it out. A couple days later it came out that he had landed in Korea, and the nose gear collapsed. He was afraid it would happen again, so he didn't even try to put the gear down.

a reply to: Zaphod58

That sounds a bit rich.. How often do we hear about a gear up landing? Heard of a few myself.

bally

a reply to: bally001
Hi Bally, if you were in the RAN on the Melbourne I probably know a few guys that you did. I was working with one of them last week and the other lives down the road from me.