Forum: General

Guest

Phoenix wrote:

Fishbed wrote:

The pilot was able to pull the nose to parralell with the ground, but the plane seemed to just hang in that position, coming down at a rougly 45 degree angle with the ground.

45 degrees you say? that sounds like a deep stall to me. Sure, I ain't no expert on flight (hell, I've never flown a plane) but unless I'm mistaken, if an F-16 stays at an AOA of 25 degrees for too long it's gonna enter a deep stall, in which case the AOA indicator should be pegged at 30 degrees. A 45 degree difference between the flight path and the nose of the plane should qualify as a deep stall as far as I know.

Might be wrong though. Anyone here can tell for sure?

The statement above is not correct. The Viper can stay at 25 AOA all day long with no adverse effects whatsoever.

It takes much, MUCH more to put the F-16 into a deep stall.

JSM

F-16.net Sponsor

Woooops... my bad... Embarassed

thanks for clearing that up

One thing that surprises me is that we haven't seen even one more video of the mishap. I did some Internet searches and all I can find are snippits of the same film.

It seems odd to me that only one person of the tens of thousands there got it on film!

Kevin
The Ejection Site
http://www.ejectionsite.com

I doubt we'll ever see the video the Thunderbirds ground crew shot. They film every show and every practice, it's part of the routine.

Guest

http://www.ktvb.com/cgi-bin/bi/video/G2 ... le=5101714

is the link to a Real Media version of the crash. if you view at double-size the compression is not too noticeable. if you have Real Player/One installed, you can play in it instead of the web page and view in full-screen. If you pause (spacebar) it just at the right moment, you will note the engine being ejected and poised in mid-air before it careens down side of runway.

dpt
paul.thomas@lmco.com

Heard some interesting comments from a friend last night that works at the air base where the crash occured. Capt. Stricklin supposedly made a call over the radio just before the crash (rumored to be at the top of the split S) saying "I'm not going to make it". I'm sure I'm just adding fuel to the speculation flames, but thought you all might find that interesting...

Umm, if the pilot knew that, at the top of a split S, he was "not going to make it" he would never nose the jet over into the rest of the maneuver. I'm not saying #6 didn't make that call on the radio but it doesn't make sense that he would have said it at the top of the loop. In fact making that call any time before being at a 45 deg dive angle (inverted just after going over the top) would not have made sense. Thoughts?

I agree. Like I said, could be a rumor, or it could have been later in the maneuver...

They put on a nice show here a week before the crash. I really liked it.

Guest

I was at the GunFighter show when the crash happend. We were filming the show but we were focusing on the 4 other planes that had already taken off.

Most of the crowd did not even know that he ejected until they announced it to us. I do not even think his chute opened all the way.

Geri

IdahoGirl, there is a still showing the chute full open. The ACES II is extremely fast in deploying the parachute. I have test films that show it in realtime. Even trained professionals often miss the parachute deployment with the cameras as it happens so quickly.

Kevin
The Ejection Site
http://www.ejectionsite.com

Guest

Sorry I've not chimed in but just found this forum. I'm a stock photographer here in Boise, and "got lucky" with a few crash photos (one image ran front page Idaho Statesman the day after), as did my buddy with a particularly telling shot of the ejection. Please remember the images at the following link are copyrighted AND registered with the Copyright Office, but you're free to look and decide about the incident.

Meanwhile, has anyone got a contact at Goodrich, and do you think they'd like a testimonial to their Aces II product?

http://www.authphoto.com/maatbirds/indextb.htm

Best regards,

Marc Auth
AUTH Photo
208.383.4161
Boise, Idaho

Interesting to see the radome intact as it leaves the fireball - indicates the jet did not nose in but hit either flat or tail-first.

Is it just me or do the leading edge wing flaps look to be in the down position?

I understand copyright issues and wanting to protect your work, but the watermark makes it difficult to view - but then I guess that's the point, huh...

GregD

Excellent photo of the seat in the air. Note that the parachute is at near full stretch and just starting to take air as the rockets under the seat are at burn-out. The flames visible are not producing thrust, just the residue of the propellant still burning for a fraction of a second.

Marc I do have a contact at Goodrich and will forward the info to them.

Kevin
The Ejection Site

Guest

I was at Mountain Home and witnessed the crash. The pilot was in full A/B during the descent in to the ground. The jet just seemed to lose thrust and "settle" into the ground.

I do believe it was an engine failure, because obviously, in A/B the jet should be producing 27,000 pounds of thrust. I am an F-16 troop at Hill AFB, and SAR pilot, and that is my 2 cents on the issue.

Forum: General

Thunderbird crash 14 Sep 2003