Air Force Thunderbird Crashes At Idaho Air Show (Sept 15, 2003)

kbci ^

[DoughtyOne]

Sorry to hear it.

[Prof Engineer]

Aim High ping

[gridlock]

January 18, 1982, saw the catastrophic "Diamond Crash" occur during a practice over Range 65, now referred to as "The Gathering of Eagles Range". The team was conducting a line abreast loop maneuver, when a malfunction of the Commander/leader's aircraft proved to be fatal for the four pilots of the Diamond formation. Those involved were: Maj. Norm Lowry, commander/leader; Capt. Willie Mays, left wing; Capt. Pete Peterson, right wing; and Capt. Mark Melncon, slot. Due to this catastrophe and the transition to a new aircraft, the Thunderbirds did not perform any aerial demonstrations during the 1982 demonstration season.

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IIRC, the planes all guided to the leader, and crashed within feet of each other, still in formation.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I remember that. They were so focused on staying in formation that not one of them noticed that they were flying into the ground.

[NerdDad]

Check the pic. See how close to the runway the pilot is? Notice the chute is perpendicular to the ground. Means he is just coming out the cockpit. He didn't get one full swing before he hit the ground.

[ericthecurdog]

The ejection seats in our modern aircraft are designed to operate successfully at zero forward airspeed and zero feet above ground level and (nearly) anywhere else within the aircraft's flight envelope.

[Joe Boucher]

Thank you GOD for spareing capt. Stricklands life.
AS for the designers of the escape pod, Great job guys.

[Robe]

Way back when.. My Squadron CO was an Ex-Blue Angel...

When doing our work ups prior to going to Vietnam... He brought us out three at a time
for "Formation Drills". He told us, quote, "All heads are on me ! I fly the formation , you
fly on me. If I hit a mountain.. I want four evenly spaced holes !!!!”

I knew I made it to the "BIG " time

[ArrogantBustard]

Captain Chris Stricklin was hospitalized for observation and was released last night .

Wow! ACES-II saves another fighter pilot's @$$. Nothin' like it.

[NerdDad]

I know the seats are designed that way and I know the pilots are well trained in their use. Somehow I doubt that knowledge helped loosen the pucker factor for this pilot at all. Coming out of one of those things at that angle and getting one swing on the silk before you find the ground can't be a good feeling. I recall one pilot friend who referred to as "his @sshole eating his shorts."

Knew a guy when I was in the AF who got a chute just above the trees after dropping from 14,000 ft. He was an F-4 nav before coming to UPT and reached (several times) in the wrong place for the handle in the T-38 that just came apart around him. Man/seat separator broke behind him and he had to get himself out of the seat. He was a really good pilot and a great guy. Only survivor in that mid-air. (I lost 3 good friends that day.) I was delighted to see him back in the cockpit following the compression fracture (6 months on medical). Went on to get an F-15 after UPT.

[ericthecurdog]

It's surprising that he was able to wave to the crowd as stated in the article... as I understand it collarbones are frequently broken by ejecting.

[ericthecurdog]

{upon review} er... perhaps it was a different article.

[xlbder]

My brother was flying left wing, Capt. Willie Mays.
I remember the date well...

I'm glad the Solo pilot made a safe ejection.

[FreedomPoster]

Welcome to Free Republic. Sorry for your loss.

[leadpenny]

A sad day. I'm sure you miss him very much.

Welcome to FR.

[gridlock]

Sorry for your loss. I thank you for your brother's service to his country. The Thunderbirds are the best of the best.

It is good to see the pilot in this crash ejected safely.

[firehunter]

WOW!
How ironic that on the VERY DAY that you register at
FR...ANOTHER Thunderbirds accident.
How coincidental! (sarcasm off)

[leadpenny]

I'm beginning to wonder about this too.

xlbder has only posted that one time.

[krb]

Aim High ping

Just aim higher next time :-)