Non-approved usage.
Carrier Quals from Beeville, Texas, the story goes. A little bit of land left.
The student allegedly climbed “up” the F-9F advanced training jet before realizing that it was going to be hard getting past the still running engine exhaust. Had to climb back down again to shut her down again.
“Son, you eject me and I will kill you when I get back to the carrier.”
Hang time…
Greetings:
Even in the worst of circumstances, you can learn some good stuff.
The shortest and fastest way out: a swan dive into the drink and swim, quickly, away.
And the least likely way to advertise to all on deck that you had soiled your flightsuit whilst going over the side.
Kudos to those engineers who over designed the strength of the tail hook assembly and the structural members in the body of the aircraft to which it is anchored.
Grumman Iron Works, defined…
- SJS
Let’s see. If I can keep the probe in the water long enough, I can suck enough water and have it hoisted toward the tower by the still running engines, and can put out the Air Bosse’s hair, which is on fire over my PP effort on landing on his deck.
Wassup?
Jus’ hangin’ around, havin a Bud. Wassup witch-eu?
Reminds me of the TA-4 at El Centro Weps/ACM det back in the early 90’s. A solo SNA landing off a hung ordnance straight in landed with his gear up, He tried to accelerate and rotate but once the Scooter was on those drops, it would have none of it. The refueling probe got under the arresting gear and it brought it to a grandiose halt. The SNA jumped out with what remained of a turning engine and ran away before the astonished firefighters saw the kid run back directly in front of the intake to shut the motor off after he remembered to go back and secure it. Fortunately the fod damage had seperated most of the turbine blades and the vacuum was negligible and he didn’t get hurt. Was his last Navy flight.
Does anyone know what became of the Cougar?
CBS evening news anchor…
Naaah. Cougars look better than that.
But, did it count as a trap?
…There is a classic story about a USAF RF-4 at Bergstrom years ago where the AC managed to whack his crew chief with the hook while at the same time lowering the canopy on his RSOs hand. Proof once again that being able to multitask in a fighter is probably an asset.
Mike
When I was a RAG student, the OpsO and the FRP were killed in a similar accident. Big RTL drift in close, rolled left, into the catwalk, still on the #4 CDP. FRP (AMB determined) ejected them. By this time, a/c was 120 deg AOB, both impacted the water, both lost. Cut the CDP and the a/c was lost.
I don’t even know what you said there, but it sounds tragic.
I’m sure all the Lex Babes skipped right over this one.
Does anyone have followup on this? Was the bird cut free or recovered? Background story?
Looked for it, but couldn’t tell – the date was 24 May 1966 (scroll down toward the bottom or search on “142979″).
“Following post-deployment standdown, America conducted carrier qualifications off the Virginia capes, and then entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for an availability. Upon the conclusion of that period of repairs and alterations, the carrier conducted post-availability sea trials on 19 and 20 September 1978, and conducted carrier qualifications with CVW between 12 and 20 October. Tragedy marred the last day of operations, when a Lockheed S-3 Viking antisubmarine aircraft went over the side upon landing; hung by the safety nets momentarily, the aircraft plunged into the sea soon thereafter. Although the pilots, Lt. Comdr. Ziolowski and Lt. (j.g.) Renshaw ejected clear of the plane, they were not recovered.”
Not a pretty sight. As I heard it “Momentarily” was over 30 minutes. More than enough time to go swimming.
Dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t.
b2
That was it. Ron Ziolowski was a great guy. Gave me one of the finest ass chewings I ever got. At the end, I had the feeling that under the circumstances I faced, he would have done the same thing. But I still needed to learn to not get myself in that situation again.
Not to pick a fight with the CV-666 command history, but I agree with B2. That story sounds like it was hung up in the catwalk, then fell off. I heard they had to cut the CDP, because trying to get the sling on it and haul it back up with Tilly was too dangerous.
B2’s story brings to mind the video special “Carrier – Fortress at Sea” in which the safety officer (?) shows several videos of ejections, including his own, and said ‘If you are going to punch out, do it in time to get out successfully.’ By the time the jet is hanging off the deck edge it would seem to be a little late. (Acknowledging that a lot was no doubt happening very quickly to the guy or guys in the cockpits just prior to the over the side part. Tough job.)
Not the kind of hood ornament you like to see…..