JASDF F-2 Update

http://www1a.biglobe.ne.jp/mediaeye/ind ... _news.html

"JASDF 3rd Air Wing 50th Anniversary Ceremony"

Three aircraft with yellowish special markings:

F-2A. 73-8543. 3rd Sq.
F-4EJ Kai. 37-8312. 8th Sq.
T-4. 06-5650. Northern Support Flight.

A F-2B crashed during a test flight. Both Test pilots survive

ITN & SKY News have a video showing the incident Pilots survive jet crash & Japanese Jet Fighter Crash Caught On CCTV

AFP wrote:Police raid Mitsubishi Heavy factory over fighter jet crash

Japanese police on Thursday searched a factory of major industrial maker Mitsubishi Heavy Industries over the crash of a fighter jet as a company executive apologised for the accident.

The Japanese F-2 fighter jet burst into flames just after takeoff at Nagoya airport in central Japan on Wednesday although its two pilots managed to escape with relatively minor injuries.

"Eight personnel from the prefectural police came over. The search is going on" at the Komaki Minami factory, which was in charge of maintenance of the jet, a Mitsubishi Heavy spokesman said.

It is not yet certain whether a human error or mechanical trouble caused the accident but Mitsubishi Heavy offered an apology for causing concern among local residents.

"We deeply apologise for causing worries and nuisance to the people concerned," Mitsubishi Heavy managing director Nobuo Toda said, bowing as he met with Aichi prefectural governor Masaaki Kanda.

The Nagoya airport is located in Aichi prefecture, an industrial hub which is also home to auto giant Toyota Motor Corp.

Police said they were probing the case but declined to disclose further details. Local media said they were searching the factory on suspicion of professional negligence.

The plane was about to start its first test flight since it was docked for regular check-ups.

It nosedived immediately after takeoff at the airport, which is also used by the Japanese air force, and glided on its tail over the runway before swerving off into the grass, television footage showed.

The fire on the plane, estimated to be worth 12 billion yen (100 million dollars), was put out in half an hour.

Resembling the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-2 has been the mainstay of officially pacifist Japan's air force since 2000.

Wednesday, 31 October 2007:
F-2B.
Probably 21st Hikoutai, 4th Koukuudan, JASDF, based at Matsushima AB, Miyagi Prefecture.
About 9:13, during take off (south to north), from about 50 m AGL, suddenly pitched down, fell on runway, caught fire, pitched up, slid on runway for 400 m (scratches with depths 5-10 cm), skidded off runway, stopped in grass, west of runway, 300-400 m east of control tower, at Prefectural Nagoya AP (formerly Nagoya IAP), Toyoyama Town, Aichi Prefecture.
Two Mitsubishi Heavy Industries test pilots did not eject, and exited aircraft by themselves. Pilot Nagata Keiji (52) heavily wounded, co-pilot Mizushima Mitsuo (56) lightly wounded.
Nagata's lungs injured and ribs cracked; hospitalised for up to two months.

Test flight for touch-and-go and flight above Japan Sea, after first maintenance in third year of active service, at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory beside airport.
Aircraft had 740 flight hours. Assembled at same factory in March 2004. First accepted by JASDF in 2004. Returned to same factory for maintenance on 21 May 2007.
Engine had about 1,000 hours, and made by Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries. On 3 October, dismounted from another F-2, and mounted on accident F-2.

Fire trucks extinguished fire after 30 minutes.
From 9:20, single runway (2,740 m) closed. Civilian flights cancelled, delayed, or diverted to Chuubu Kokusai Kuukou (Centrair IAP), Aichi Prefecture.

Pilots are retired JASDF pilots. Nagata has 5,796 flight hours. Mizushima has 6,302 flight hours.

For reference, serial numbers of F-2B, 21st Hikoutai, based at Matsushima AB:
http://www.f2-supporter.net/F2info/F2B/index.html

Videos:
http://www.mbs.jp/news/jnn_3695931_zen.shtml
http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/ann/news/web/ ... 1031215028
(mms://wmt-od.stream.ne.jp/tv-asahi/tv-a ... 15028_300k)
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/ ... -soci.html
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/ ... -soci.html
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/ ... -soci.html
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/ ... -soci.html
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye3695931.html

[Too blurry and far to read serial number. News announcers and reporters are not cute.]

Photos:
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/natio ... 60801.html
http://www.iza.ne.jp/news/newsarticle/event/95723/
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... i.view-000
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... i.view-000
http://news.goo.ne.jp/picture/kyodo/nat ... 00604.html
http://news.goo.ne.jp/picture/kyodo/nat ... 00261.html
http://news.goo.ne.jp/picture/jiji/nati ... 1X309.html

Text:
http://www.iza.ne.jp/news/newsarticle/event/95778/
http://www.iza.ne.jp/news/newsarticle/event/95723/
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 2-mai-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 2-mai-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 9-san-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 7-san-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 3-jij-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 4-mai-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 4-jij-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... -maip-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 5-yom-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 1-yom-soci

] but I'm guessing 43-8126.)

According to the photo at
http://mainichi.jp/select/jiken/graph/20071031/6.jpg
in
http://mainichi.jp/select/jiken/graph/2 ... index.html
the serial number is either "126" (43-8126) or "128" (43-8128), but based on the list at
http://www.f2-supporter.net/F2info/F2B/index.html
which is last updated on 2006.11.13, "128" is assigned to 3rd Hikoutai, based at Misawa AB, not to "4th Koukuudan, based at Matsushima AB" as reported in news articles.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 4-yom-soci
recalls: five years ago, nine JASDF aircraft under maintenance at the same MHI factory were sabotaged. Some electric cables were cut, etc.

Did the pilots eject, or did they ride it out, then blow the canopy?

Probably they rode it out, then blew the canopy.

http://www1.airliners.net/search/photo. ... entry=true

43-8126 with 21st Hikoutai 30th anniversary special markings in 2006.

http://www.habu2.net/vipers/viperkits/72/kits72.c.html
http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/06-12.html

43-8126 with 21st Hikoutai 30th anniversary special markings, model kit by Hasegawa.

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/mikanori1217/38246681.html

Left arrow: landing gear.
Right arrow: nose cone.

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/akizuki01/e/eb23a ... a38ae0af67
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/akizuki01/e/45b7d ... aa8c9c515c

Conspiracy theory: accident F-2 flight control system sabotaged at that MHI factory.
In the past, on F-4s under maintenance, electric cables were cut.
On F-15s under maintenance, electric plugs were bent.

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/11 ... 50016.html
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/natio ... 64666.html
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 3-mai-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 4-yom-soci
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 4-jij-soci

Thursday, 15 November 2007:
According to JMOD accident investigation committee, flight recorder data analysed.
Cause was incorrect wire connections of two flight control sensors: pitch rate gyro (detects up-down direction of aircraft nose) and roll rate gyro (detects roll of aircraft).
Wires of one sensor were connceted to the other sensor, and vice versa.

During take off, when pilot's control stick attempted to raise aircraft nose, flight control computer could not correctly recognise situation and thought aircraft nose had not risen. Computer over-actuated horizontal stabilisers, and aircraft rapidly climbed.
Pilot realised abnormal pitch, attempted to lower aircraft nose, computer thought aircraft nose had not lowered, and over-actuated horizontal stabilisers. Aircraft rapidly dived and crashed.
Not pilot (human) error.

F-2 flights will resume, after all aircraft wire connections are checked.

http://www.masdf.com/crm/nedan1.html

Costs of F-2 (12.06 billion Yen) and other modern combat aircraft.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... -mailo-l40

Friday, 16 November 2007:
F-2 flights resumed at Tsuiki AB, Fukuoka Prefecture.
At 13:40 and 13:55, each time four F-2 took off at the air base.
F-2 will also fly at the Tsuiki AB air show on 24 November.

When will F-15 resume flights is unknown.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 9-mai-soci

Thursday, 22 November 2007:
F-2 flights resume at Prefectural Nagoya AP, Aichi Prefecture.
Afternoon, a F-2 from Tsuiki AB, Fukuoka Prefecture, landed at Prefectural Nagoya AP, for repair at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory beside the airport.

Gamera wrote:http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071122-00000059-mai-soci

Thursday, 22 November 2007:
F-2 flights resume at Prefectural Nagoya AP, Aichi Prefecture.
Afternoon, a F-2 from Tsuiki AB, Fukuoka Prefecture, landed at Prefectural Nagoya AP, for repair at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory beside the airport.

Gamera, good work. As all the links are in Japanese, here is a rough and quick translation of the last link which says:

Flight reopening Aichi prefecture November 22nd of the F2 close support fighter made at Nagoya airport after the last month 31st, crash of the F2 close support fighter of Air Self Defense Force, 2 crew-members injured heavily in the accident ?? flesh wound.

Accident happened, 22nd in the afternoon, at the Air Self-Defense Force works base (Fukuoka prefecture Chikujo Cho) at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Komaki south factory, it landed ?? fell to ground on the Nagoya airport.

Concerning F2 where as for the latest accident the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries error wiring which serviced the fuselage is seen as cause, as for the prefecture is carried in the same factory as "further investigation of cause needing"

http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/natio ... 65676.html

15 November 2007:
Possible cause of F-2B crash was cables of incorrect lengths.
When cables are correct lengths according to design manual, cannot incorrectly connect connectors of cables to sensors.
At least one of six other F-2 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory, has cables of incorrect lengths and can cause incorrect connections.

Gamera wrote:http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/national/news/CK2007112002065676.html

15 November 2007:
Possible cause of F-2B crash was cables of incorrect lengths.
When cables are correct lengths according to design manual, cannot incorrectly connect connectors of cables to sensors.
At least one of six other F-2 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory, has cables of incorrect lengths and can cause incorrect connections.

According to this report the wiring looms to the flight control computers was found to be incorect so that the gyro's could be cross connected. Investigation of another aircraft undergoing maintenance at the same facility showed the same problem. The investigation is now focusing on negligence.

asiatrails wrote:

Gamera wrote:http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071122-00000059-mai-soci

Thursday, 22 November 2007:
F-2 flights resume at Prefectural Nagoya AP, Aichi Prefecture.
Afternoon, a F-2 from Tsuiki AB, Fukuoka Prefecture, landed at Prefectural Nagoya AP, for repair at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory beside the airport.

Gamera, good work. As all the links are in Japanese, here is a rough and quick translation of the last link which says:

Flight reopening Aichi prefecture November 22nd of the F2 close support fighter made at Nagoya airport after the last month 31st, crash of the F2 close support fighter of Air Self Defense Force, 2 crew-members injured heavily in the accident ?? flesh wound.

Accident happened, 22nd in the afternoon, at the Air Self-Defense Force works base (Fukuoka prefecture Chikujo Cho) at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Komaki south factory, it landed ?? fell to ground on the Nagoya airport.

Concerning F2 where as for the latest accident the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries error wiring which serviced the fuselage is seen as cause, as for the prefecture is carried in the same factory as "further investigation of cause needing"

If I may add, Aichi prefecture has authorized landing but has not authorized take off of F-2 yet.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071 ... 1-yom-soci

31 December 2007:
Aichi Prefectural Police deduced wiring misconnections to two workers at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Komaki Minami factory.
By end of January 2008, Aichi Prefectural Police will send documents to Nagoya District Public Prosecutor's Office for the "professional negligence resulting in injury" charge.