F18 Down?

[SIG600]

When it's done (and right).

 

[Andy Neill]

Update: This from MSNBC this afternoon--------
SAN DIEGO - The pilot of a crippled military jet that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood and killed four members of a Korean family was offered a chance shortly before impact to land at a base with an approach over open water rather than head inland, recordings released Tuesday indicate.

Recordings of conversations between federal air controllers and the pilot of the F/A-18D reveal that the pilot at least twice was offered a chance to put down the plane at the Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. The base sits at the tip of a peninsula with a flight path over water.

Instead, the Federal Aviation Administration tapes disclose, the pilot decided to fly the jet, which had lost one engine and was showing signs of trouble with the second, to the inland Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is about 10 miles north of Coronado.

That route took him over the University City neighborhood, where the Dec. 8 crash incinerated two homes and damaged three others.

Officials in Washington, D.C., said Tuesday that 13 Marine Corps personnel have been disciplined for errors in connection with the crash.

Service officials told members of Congress that four Marine Corps officers have been relieved of duty for directing the Hornet to fly over the residential area. Nine other military personnel received lesser reprimands. Officials said the pilot should have been told to fly over San Diego Bay and land at Coronado.

Military officials say the jet suffered a rare double engine failure, and Marine generals initially defended the choice to send the Hornet to Miramar.

Before the crash, the pilot ejected safely.

Four members of a Korean family were killed in their home — Young Mi Yoon, 36; her daughters Grace, 15 months, and Rachel, 2 months; and her mother Suk Im Kim, 60. Kim was visiting from South Korea to help her daughter move across town and adjust to the arrival of her second child.

The disclosures in the tapes raise the possibility that the crash might have been averted. Since the crash, a lingering question has been why the pilot didn't attempt a landing at Coronado over open water.

 

[ableone]

While some reports indicate that the airplane was closer to MCAS Mirimar, most indicate that he launched from a carrier operating southwest of Coronado.

The first engine failed due to an oil leak and the second due to fuel starvation. The fuel starvation occurred because of a problem moving fuel around. Whether this was a mechanical failure, a pilot error or a combination of the two has not been made clear.

The local congressional leaders were briefed by the military and were told the accident was "absolutely" preventable.

Thirteen officers and men have been disciplined as a result of the crash.

No final decision has been made about whether or not the pilot will face disciplinary action though one member of the congressional delegation remarked that he was doubtful the pilot would again fly for the Marines.

 

[KigAir]

Who has final authority of a military aircraft while it's in the air? The pilot or people on the ground?

 

[JungleJett]

Who has final authority of a military aircraft while it's in the air? The pilot or people on the ground?

The pilot...but any action he or she takes, you must be able to show you used sound judgment. If not, then you must be accountable for your actions.

As a pilot, you should use every resource available to you, many of those are outside the cockpit.

I was not in the seat of that airplane...but the investigation is revealing.

 

[okcplt]

Update: This from MSNBC this afternoon--------
SAN DIEGO - The pilot of a crippled military jet that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood and killed four members of a Korean family was offered a chance shortly before impact to land at a base with an approach over open water rather than head inland, recordings released Tuesday indicate.

Recordings of conversations between federal air controllers and the pilot of the F/A-18D reveal that the pilot at least twice was offered a chance to put down the plane at the Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado. The base sits at the tip of a peninsula with a flight path over water.

Instead, the Federal Aviation Administration tapes disclose, the pilot decided to fly the jet, which had lost one engine and was showing signs of trouble with the second, to the inland Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is about 10 miles north of Coronado.

That route took him over the University City neighborhood, where the Dec. 8 crash incinerated two homes and damaged three others.

Officials in Washington, D.C., said Tuesday that 13 Marine Corps personnel have been disciplined for errors in connection with the crash.

Service officials told members of Congress that four Marine Corps officers have been relieved of duty for directing the Hornet to fly over the residential area. Nine other military personnel received lesser reprimands. Officials said the pilot should have been told to fly over San Diego Bay and land at Coronado.

Military officials say the jet suffered a rare double engine failure, and Marine generals initially defended the choice to send the Hornet to Miramar.

Before the crash, the pilot ejected safely.

Four members of a Korean family were killed in their home — Young Mi Yoon, 36; her daughters Grace, 15 months, and Rachel, 2 months; and her mother Suk Im Kim, 60. Kim was visiting from South Korea to help her daughter move across town and adjust to the arrival of her second child.

The disclosures in the tapes raise the possibility that the crash might have been averted. Since the crash, a lingering question has been why the pilot didn't attempt a landing at Coronado over open water.

One word: GROUNDED.

When do the criminal proceedings start?

 

[Fearless Tower]

The details of the Marine Corps briefing were posted in the SD Tribune yesterday....rather revealing.

Apparently when the pilot first checked in to Socal Approach, he reported that he had an engine failure and possible problems with his other engine which led to the approach controller twice offering the straight in approach for 36 at NZY (he was approaching from 50 nm Southwest of San Diego).....he chose to continue to Mirimar, but apparently had the presence of mind to request the equipment at Mirimar???

A couple of other interesting notes that I'd be interested in hearing from any F-18 guys or other fighter jet guys: When the plane hit the house, it apparently had the gear down.....what operates the gear in the Hornet? Is it an eledctro-hydraulic pump, or a hydraulic pump off an engine accessory drive? If it was electrical, I would think you would want to bring the gear up as soon as the second engine failed.....would have made all the difference in that plane landing in the canyon just beyond the house.

Also, according the the briefing, he apparently made a left 270 degree turn over La Jolla to line up with rwy 6 because he didn't want to turn into the dead engine......with the engines so close together, does turning toward a dead engine really matter that much, particularly with thrust reduced during a descent?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Interested in SIG600 comments...............

 

[bagasticks]

The details of the Marine Corps briefing were posted in the SD Tribune yesterday....rather revealing.

Apparently when the pilot first checked in to Socal Approach, he reported that he had an engine failure and possible problems with his other engine which led to the approach controller twice offering the straight in approach for 36 at NZY (he was approaching from 50 nm Southwest of San Diego).....he chose to continue to Mirimar, but apparently had the presence of mind to request the equipment at Mirimar???

A couple of other interesting notes that I'd be interested in hearing from any F-18 guys or other fighter jet guys: When the plane hit the house, it apparently had the gear down.....what operates the gear in the Hornet? Is it an eledctro-hydraulic pump, or a hydraulic pump off an engine accessory drive? If it was electrical, I would think you would want to bring the gear up as soon as the second engine failed.....would have made all the difference in that plane landing in the canyon just beyond the house.

Also, according the the briefing, he apparently made a left 270 degree turn over La Jolla to line up with rwy 6 because he didn't want to turn into the dead engine......with the engines so close together, does turning toward a dead engine really matter that much, particularly with thrust reduced during a descent?

recalling my hornet maintenance days. . the gear is operated hydraulically unless you lose hyd 2b (right motor) in which case you rotate the gear handle 90 degrees to blow it down via accumulator (apu accumulator i think) so putting them back up would not have been practical assuming the right motor was tits up. . Im not questioning the PIC's actions though, just sharing some systems knowledge. .

one of you hornet clowns correct me if im wrong. .

 

[JungleJett]

Interested in SIG600 comments...............

Shouldn't you be mowing Praters grass and washing his car....