Forum: General F-22A Raptor forum

Landing-gear pin causes F-22A damage

Air Combat Command Public Affairs

03/22/2006 -- LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) - A maintainer's
failure to control the nose landing gear pin streamer during removal
from an F-22A allowed the pin to be ingested into the right engine Oct.
20, 2005 prior to a mission at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, according to
an aircraft accident investigation report released today.

There were no injuries in the incident and damage to the right engine
totaled approximately $6.7 million.

The aircraft is assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing,
Langley AFB.

At the time of the incident, the pilot had started engines before a
night surface attack tactics mission. The crew chief then realized the
nose landing gear pin was still in and instructed the pilot to shut down
the left engine so he could remove the pin. During removal, the crew
chief failed to control the pin's streamer allowing it to be caught in
the suction intake of the operating right engine and torn from his hand.

Investigators concluded failure to remove the pin prior to engine start
was a direct result of inadequate and incorrect technical order guidance
that led to the pin remaining installed during engine start.

Source: http://www2.acc.af.mil/accnews/News06/0036.html

Also see: http://www.f-16.net/news_article1711.html

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Owwww... be careful out there guys!

Mike

Thats how warnings, cautions and notes come to being in the TO's. Someone paved the path. LOL

Why didn't the crew chief tell the pilot to shut down BOTH engines when he saw the pin wasn't removed?

Bet he gets a 5 on his EPR. Definate supervisor material.

i was there when it got sucked up. you heard this awful noise then PING, and it created one hell of a fireworks display. we were told the next day to look over our jets real good incase theres any shrapnel from the engine. anyone want to bet how much urine and blood samples this guy gave up?

Sooo....how long does it take at SrA pay to make up 6.7 million $$$?

That's gonna leave a mark for sure.

ACC News wrote:

Investigators concluded failure to remove the pin prior to engine start
was a direct result of inadequate and incorrect technical order guidance
that led to the pin remaining installed during engine start.

Probably the only cover they'll have is the possible fault in the TO. Either way I'd hate to be anywhere near that investigation (speaking from experience, the blood tests aren't fun, but there better than than the feeling that people are just looking to 'nail you' for something you might have done - even if you hadn't.)

Mike

Does the F-22 community require the pin streamers to be cut down to 6" as we did for F-16 units? Sounds like it was a long streamer in order to be torn from his hand.

Sounds like he was a old F-15 crew chief. On F-15s you start the right engine then pull the nose gear pin. So he might have thought he was safe in doing what he did.

One of those "Live And Learn" type things.

M.Kopack, did you retire here to raleigh or are you on recruiting duty or such? Just wondering. JL Raleigh NC

Well guys,

I think that some of the streamers are not 6 inches.

and the nosegear streamer is more than 6 inches and I don't think they will cut them off other wise you won't see them.

I took these pics during Aviation nation and I was kindda surpized that is had .... KEYCHAIN streamers on it.

This could be just for the airshow but according to regulations this is not what it supposed to be.

Greetz Henk

Enthusiast Joined: Dec 13, 2005 - 08:07 AM Posts: 48

Gentlemen, now it's easy to talk, and easy to say that both engines should be off because if the pin was torn off the crew-chief hand anything else, including HIM, could be for being so close to the intakes.
That was a lot of money down the drain, however let's be glad because no one got hurt.