Posted on 09/01/2016 4:27:40 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – Six people at the U.S. Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing were taken to the hospital as a precaution Thursday after being exposed to a chemical released from a fighter plane’s emergency power system.
Master Sgt. Andrew J. Moseley said the accident happened around 2:30 p.m. Thursday when personnel were working on the F-16’s Emergency Power Unit, which as its name suggests provides electrical and hydraulic power to the aircraft if the engines shut down.
The six people were taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Campus, as a precaution because of possible exposure to a hydrazine byproduct, Moseley said.
“Concerned about the airmen’s safety and as a precautionary measure, the 177th Fighter Wing sent the personnel in the area of the EPU activation for testing and evaluation,” Moseley said in an email.
The emergency power system uses chemicals including hydrazine, which according to the National Institutes of Health's Open Chemistry Database is a rocket fuel. Hydrazine is also the chemical that Matt Damon’s character catalyzes to create water in the movie and book “The Martian.”
Hydrazine is a corrosive and toxic chemical. Exposure can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, dizziness, headaches, nausea and seizures, according to the Open Chemistry Database. Acute exposure can lead to kidney and liver damage and neurological problems.
The 177th Fighter Wing protects U.S. airspace over cities from New York to Washington, D.C. The air wing flies F-16s from its base at Atlantic City International Airport.
Contact: 609-463-6712
MMiller@pressofac.com
Twitter @ACPressMiller
Hydrazine is some nasty shit.
Isn’t this the stuff that used to melt Luftwaffe Me 163 pilots alive - well, until they were dead?
I think you’re right.
“T-Stoff” and “C-Stoff”, they called the mixture; and the tubes an alongside the cockpit. When they burst - which they did, frequently, they basically chemically “melted” the pilot due to the corrosive nature of it.
T-stoff was comprised of eighty percent hydrogen peroxide while C-Stuff was Methanol and Hydrazine Hydrate.
http://atomictoasters.com/2013/01/point-defense-the-fast-burning-komet/
Hydrazine was made between Rich and Poor Valleys in the 60’s.
Very energetic substance.
Not nice to talk about fellow FReepers like that/
“hydrazine”
Yep.
That really puts a hamper on your flying experience.
Effs up your day, big time.
The fuel tubes ran down each side of the cockpit, and would frequently rupture at altitude, spraying that crap all over the inside of the cockpit.
He’d never have a chance.
Brass balls to fly those things. But they’re Germans, and they invented Brass Balls, so...
They also had the Arado 234 Blitz Bomber, and the HE-162 Salamander “Volksjaeger”. ANd of course, the amazing Messerchmitt ME-262 Schwalbe (Swallow).
All jet powered.
Adolf Galland, who was both a propeller and ME-262 jet ace, became the CG of the Argentinian Air Force after the war; he’d flown both the ME 262 and the British Gloster Meteor, which became operational right near the end of the war.
He was asked what would have happened if the British Meteor ever came up against the German ME-262 in combat; his response was:
“We would have swept them out of the skies”.
Any funny-named Amish in the mix nearby when it happened?
I have never flown an F-16, but from talking with friends that have there is a way to set off the hydrazine by doing some steps in the checklist out of order.
“Engines? “. The F-16 now has more than one? When did that happen?
TC
You should see the MSDS!
Yeah, that stuff is pretty bad.
Just looking at UDMH will give you cancer.
*Unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine.
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