This is a media invention, and it needs to STOP.
People, if a pilot could still control a jet to 'steer' it away from homes, would it not occur that the plane would not need to crash at all?
This comment about steering aircraft away from homes, people, etc, is just nonsense, it is about hero-worship, and has NOTHING to do with reality. This crap started in the movies.
When a pilot loses control of a jet, his job is to GET OUT, so that the millions spent training him/her are not wasted in death.
I know it is nice to think that someone in their last moment did a noble thing, but face it, if a pilot could steer a disabled plane anywhere, it would be UP.
Now, obviously, I am upset right now, but I am so tired of this garbage, I felt the need to set the record straight.
So, knock it off!
Yes, Sir.
yawn
Actually, that is not true. Mr G's cousin was a military pilot, in the first class at the Air Force Academy. He was training a younger pilot and had a plane that was going down. He had the student eject, and managed to arrange to have the wing taken off before it crashed in the mountains. Because the wing was fairly intact (a relative term) they were able to determine it had been sabotaged by a mechanic who had some issue with the student.
His ejection handle was mounted in a frame with a description of what happened.
By the way, he was killed in an airshow accident a number of years ago.
Do you fly this type of aircraft? Pilots have told me that unless all control surfaces are “out”, some ability to control exists.
All I’ve got to say is the Great Santini...
But as long as he has control, he might choose to stay with it for a few more seconds or minutes, right?
Otherwise the reports out of Vietnam of pilots staying with crippled F-105s or F-4s and nursing the stricken aircraft as far toward the coast (and hopefully to the ocean) as possible would be fiction as well. But they are a matter of record. Duke Cunningham flew his F-4 completely inverted all the way to the ocean before he punched out due to loss of control and battle damage.
You may be a former F-14 pilot, but there are plenty of reports of pilots staying with stricken aircraft as long as they are able--your experience and training notwithstanding.
We lost a F-4B (VMFA-122) shortly after takeoff from El Toro. They were over La Jolla and apparently headed out over the water, on fire. Neither the pilot or RIO ejected, though they were seen from the ground to be at least a few thousand feet. No one knows why they did not eject, or if they kept heading out to sea to avoid the town.
I recall the cause of the fire was thought to be the bleed air to the wings did not shut off after flaps retracted. Think that was a F-4 problem that caused a few other crashes, but I was Ordnance, what do I know.......
Spent that night patrolling the beaches of La Jolla with the OOD, guy named Winklebrandt, to watch for and protect any remains that might wash ashore. That stuff hits a squadron hard.
You have a mechanical malfunction or you accidentally slapped it back to military cutoff ;). Either way, your are kind of screwed dude. You are too low for a restart(but you start the sequence anyway).
Visibility is good, you are over a subdivision but the bay is in sight. You are lined up on a road that dead ends into the bay. What do you do? Do you punch out? or do you ride it as far as you can keeping it between the houses and punch out at the last minute after you are sure you are clear? You will be at about 200 feet when you leave the aircraft. Or do you just go and let it fly/fall/crash itself?
I agree at that at 100-200 feet this fine Blue Angel pilot would not have time to do anything, but you paint everyone with too broad of brush I think.
Sorry, Pukin, but pilots OFTEN attempt to avoid populated areas when a crash is inevitable. Most memorable one that comes to mind is the Vulcan bomber flying out of Glenview for Chicago waterfront show. Knew they were going down, subdivisions everywhere, said they were trying to make a quarry, and did. Lots of sadness, but laced with gratitude and awe.
Amen, and I’ll remember good man in my prayers.
Uh...PD... You and I seldom disagree, as you know. However, there ARE situtions where a pilot is able to maintain sufficient control to steer a plane away from homes or other high value areas, and yet be riding a plane that was going to crash. Not a matter of “ego” or “bravado” ... simply humanity. Of course, the real question then becomes “how controllable” the plane is to begin with. If it’s totally uncontrollable, there’s no point in hanging on, but you know that “total lack of control” is very seldom the case.
In this accident, it sounds like there wasn’t much time to think of anything, though... probably some engine problem (or possibly control surface) - contact with something attached to the ground - fireball before able to think about doing anything... so the discussion seems moot to begin with. Perhaps that is the genesis of your upset about people speculating to begin with.
Many of my fellow pilots stated during flight room BS sessions that they would never eject if there were any chance they could save people on the ground. I also heard a few state they would never eject period, but I somehow thought those were comments that could be modified with situation. Perhaps your squadron was different, and you heard differently, but that is what I heard.
This is NOT a media invention or simple hero worship.
Also, whether the AF or Navy likes it officially - when that final call comes, each pilot is going to do what they as an individual thinks proper.