Forum: Mishaps

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

2 dead.
http://www.kauz.com/news/local/18448394.html

Condolences.

F-16.net Sponsor

That sucks, all I can do is offer a heart felt salute and wish their families the best.

My condolences as well.

Thats 4 crew members and two C models in just over a week Sad

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123095679

From af.mil web site

5/1/2008 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Education and Training Command officials suspended flights of T-38C Talon aircraft May 1 following a fatal crash at Sheppard AFB, Texas.

The crash was the second in two weeks involving a T-38, following an April 23 accident in which two pilots were killed when their T-38 crashed at Columbus AFB, Miss.

General William R. Looney III, AETC commander, directed the stand-down.

"We have no evidence that these incidents are related," General Looney said. "But until we have a more complete understanding of the causes of both accidents, it's prudent to stand down the T-38's."

The causes of both crashes are under investigation.

The Air Force has approximately 500 T-38 aircraft in its inventory. The T-38 is used in AETC to prepare student pilots for future training in fighter and bomber aircraft.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123097049

Good call ... should be AF wide out West. Cinco De Mayo ... lots of drunk illegals on the road ... sorry

Godspeed brothers! Heart felt condolences to the families.

AETC lifts T-38 flight suspension

From af.mil

Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

5/6/2008 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Air Education and Training Command announced this afternoon that its T-38 aircraft are cleared to resume flying operations Wednesday.

Gen. William R. Looney III, AETC commander, lifted the stand down of the command's T-38s that had been in place since Friday, following a fatal crash Thursday at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The crash was the second in eight days involving a T-38.

Initial information indicates that the crashes were not related.

The command's T-38 fleet will return to normal operations over the next several days as individual aircraft are cleared for flight.

Air Force to inspect wings of training jets after 2 crashes in 8 days
Web Posted: 05/08/2008 12:27 AM CDT
By Sig Christenson
sig@express-news.net
Hundreds of T-38 training jets will undergo inspections of the aircrafts' ailerons, a crucial part of the plane, before they're allowed to fly again, the Air Force said Wednesday.
The order, issued by the San Antonio-based Air Education and Training Command , came after two fatal crashes within eight days. Ailerons are devices on each wing used to control rolls.
“Preliminary data we're getting from many different sources has caused us to make a prudent decision to inspect the ailerons on our T-38s,” said Capt. John Severns, an AETC spokesman. “That does not mean the ailerons are believed to be a factor in the crashes.”
All 450 jets were grounded May 1 after a T-38 went down at Sheppard AFB outside Wichita Falls, killing Maj. Brad Funk, 35, an instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Alec Littler, 23, a student pilot. An April 23 T-38 crash at Columbus AFB, Miss., killed instructor pilot Maj. David Faulkner and first-year student 2nd Lt. Matthew Emmons.
Both supersonic jets were approaching at low altitude and all was apparently normal when they went down, Severns said. Asked if the sudden crashes indicated mechanical failure, he replied, “We are not suggesting anything at this point.”
A former AETC commander and veteran pilot said he didn't know details about the crashes, but noted that the failure of the ailerons to perform properly could prove disastrous.
Retired Gen. Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton said a pilot wanting to roll left puts the control stick in the same direction. That, in turn, causes the aileron on the left wing to go up, and the one on the right to go down.
“You can see how if the wind pressures are pushing the left wing down and the right wing up, that will cause the airplane to continuously roll to the left,” said Newton, a veteran of at least 1,500 hours in the T-38, a plane he flew with the Thunderbirds precision flight team.
The T-38 joined the Air Force inventory in 1961 and is used to prepare pilots for training in fighter and bomber aircraft.
Source: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/milita ... 9bc5d.html

http://www.aetc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123109915

Air Force releases report on Sheppard T-38 accident

Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

8/7/2008 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force has completed its investigation of the May 1, 2008, T-38C Talon accident at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane.

Maj. Brad T. Funk, a 90th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Alec F. Littler, a student pilot assigned to the 80th Operations Support Squadron, were flying a training mission simulating a single engine landing approach with a full fuel load with the intent to touch down on the Sheppard Air Force Base runway and then take off again.

The T-38 landed short of the runway, causing debris from the overrun surface to enter the right engine and causing it to seize. Major Funk took command of the aircraft upon the short landing and advanced the left engine throttle to maximum power, and as the aircraft was climbing from the ground retracted the landing gear and the flaps. With the flaps retracted, the T-38 had insufficient power and airspeed to sustain lift and stalled.

With their T-38 in a fully developed stall 25 to 40 feet above the ground, the crew ejected from the aircraft. Their near simultaneous ejection caused contact between the two ejection seats and disrupted the direction and sequence of the ejection. Both were killed on impact with the ground.

The accident investigation board determined the cause of the mishap was pilot error based on the instructor pilot's failure to execute critical emergency procedures upon right engine failure. Specifically, the decision to retract the flaps rather than leaving them extended resulted in insufficient lift to sustain flight.

There were no other casualties from this mishap and other than the aircraft, there was no property damage.

Col. Richard S. Haddad, 23rd Air Force, Hurlburt Field, Fla., headed the AIB.

http://www.aetc.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123109909

Air Force releases report on Columbus T-38 accident

Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

8/7/2008 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force has completed its investigation of the April 23, 2008, T-38C Talon accident at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., which resulted in the deaths of two pilots and destroyed the airplane.

Maj. Blair Faulkner, a 43rd Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, and 2nd Lt. Matthew Emmons, a student pilot assigned to the 50th Flying Training Squadron, were taking off from Columbus Air Force Base when their T-38 began an uncommanded roll to the left. The crew briefly recovered the aircraft to level flight, but as the aircraft gained airspeed the roll intensified. Unable to regain controlled flight, the crew attempted to eject from the aircraft but were too low and the aircraft was inverted. Both were killed on impact with the ground.

The accident investigation board determined the cause of this mishap to be mechanical failure of the right aileron, which failed in the full down position before takeoff.

There were no other casualties from this mishap and other than the aircraft, there was no property damage.

Brig. Gen. Dean J. Despinoy, 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., headed the AIB.

Damn.....

Forum: Mishaps

T-38 Talon jet crashed at Sheppard Air force Base