T-38 down in Oklahoma

A T-38C has crashed about 60 miles west of Vance AFB, in Oklahoma. Vance is home to one of several pilot training units. From the wording of reports, it appears there was only one pilot on board, and he successfully ejected.

www.enidnews.com...

turnto10.com...

www.washingtonexaminer.com...

Initial word is he developed engine trouble at 2,000 feet.

Good to hear the pilot got out is hopefully is OK. No building damage would be good also.

a reply to: roadgravel

A pasture caught fire in the explosion, but no injuries or damage to buildings. The pilot was found talking and drinking water with a farmer.

a reply to: Zaphod58

www.thedrive.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

That's good news. Not the average day on the farm for the local man.

Great to hear that the pilot got out okay. One of my major clients is the manufacturer of the ejection seat that saved that pilots life. In the 70 or so years since their invention, they've saved something like 7,000 lives. They're an incredible bit of kit. They still do practise firings from a couple of old Gloster Meteors that they use, l saw them only the other day in the hanger.

My uncle flew damn near every type of plane out of Vance and Tinker during his stint in the Air Force and Air National Guard. T 38 are those old trainers, right? Another uncle was an aircraft mechanic at Tinker.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Built in the 60s for the most part.

Word is he lost both engines and couldn't restart.

a reply to: Zaphod58

*cough*need a replacement*cough*

The Mishap Aircraft was the lead in a two ship, low level training flight that was part of a cross country from Vance AFB, to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. During the low level, the Mishap Pilot was looking over his left shoulder to find his wingman, when he heard a pop from the right. The right engine fire warning light came on, and he had right side flight control hydraulic and generator failures. The wingman reported visible fire coming from the aircraft. The MP ejected with minor injuries.

The flight completed five low level legs, four at 1,000 feet, one at 500 feet. The MP reported one bird seen during the flight that was not a factor. On the sixth leg of the low level, the MA ingested a Swainson's Hawk in the right engine. This resulted in flight controls degrading (when the MP attempted to climb from the low level, he had to put increasing amounts of nose up trim, in addition to full nose up on the control stick), and his wingman reported yellow orange flame coming out from below the aircraft. Once the MP had reached a safe altitude to eject, he successfully initiated the ejection process. He was later picked up by a farmer, who drove him to a State Police response unit, who evaluated him.

media.defense.gov...