Fighter bomber cuts cable

[firstthird]

I also agree with JimNTexas, AdlerDriver, and SBpilot. I was flying in Italy at the time (Sigonella, not Aviano) and followed the accident reporting extensively, although just through the media like anyone else.

I find the argument that the Navy may have used go-pills in the 70s or 80s irrelevant. Most of the services go through cycles, I would not be at all surprised to learn that the navy used go-pills in the Vietnam era, stopped, and then started again in 2002.

As previously stated, these guys were on a 1 or 2 hour flight during daylight hours, near their base, training. That isn't a recipe for go-pills in anyone's book. The more likely scenario is a combination of flathatting and command climate. Apparently they weren't the only guys in the unit to fly their tactical training routes lower than authorized and weren't the only ones with video of it either. They got a little lost and before they figured it out had clipped that cable and 19 people died.

The two air national guard guys in Afghanistan used go-pills as their defense. The Marines in Italy used something more along the lines of we didn't know we were that low and the charts we were using didn't show that particular gondola.

 

[Huggyu2]

As someone who currently flies with "go-pills", I have found no adverse side effects. There is no way that it would cause me to make the kind of mistakes that various lawyers claim the pills cause.

 

[Jafar]

As someone who currently flies with "go-pills", I have found no adverse side effects. There is no way that it would cause me to make the kind of mistakes that various lawyers claim the pills cause.

Not to hijack, but what are the issued "go-pills"? I was under the impression that the USAF uses Dexedrine, which is a very powerful amphetamine. I assume you are waived from popping for amphetamine on a piss test if you're taking these.

 

[JCJ]

Not to hijack, but what are the issued "go-pills"? I was under the impression that the USAF uses Dexedrine, which is a very powerful amphetamine. I assume you are waived from popping for amphetamine on a piss test if you're taking these.

Yes

The medication is issued under the supervision of a flight surgeon

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

Did both the NAv and the pilot got to jail? Discharged? (most likely)

 

[Huggyu2]

Before you are allowed to use it, you ground test it: basically, you take various doses over a weekend, and see your reaction. Most guys find it is a performance enhancer. I know one pilot that didn't like the side effects it caused in him, and he won't use the stuff. Personally, I love it.

 

[SB Diver]

The crew were flying aggressively and honestly trying to adhere to the rules and restrictions along the route. They just got way too low at a critical spot and the rest is history. There was nothing on the standard chart the the US military was using that depicted the cable. They had jerry-rigged a video camera in the front cockpit and erased it on the way back to base while the plane was barely flying (not sure if this was smart or not...). That is what got the pilot 5 months in the brig and the front Nav (ECMO 1) a discharge. The two backseaters were not reprimanded (sp?) but were raked over the coals after the accident. They are both still on active duty. The real tragedy was the death of 20 people and also that the Marine Corps completely turned their backs on the aircrew. Lesson to all of us: it can happen to you and be ready to take responsibility for your actions!

 

[Bjammin]

I saw the airplane in JAX after the incident. It cut about a 1 ft gash in the wing and that's it, amazing airplane. My budy was the duty officer in that Marine squadron that day. He has some great stories he will only tell me over a few beers.
Funny thing was the Navy was prevented from going "low" for years after that. Restricted to 5K unless taking off or landing, Red Flag was pointless. The Marines went back after a very short time.

Anyway, sad incident, but can see how it happened.

 

[f9driver]

Navy used 5,000' for low level. HORSE SH_T!!!

 

[JimNtexas]

What was the story with that Navy F-14 crew who shot the USAF RF-4C off the tanker near Italy in the late 80s?

 

[Gorilla]

Go pills are low-dose dexedrine. One go pill felt to me similar to 2 cups of coffee without bad coffee effects like the jitters. Really quite mild. Drink two Starbux grandes, and that's about what it feels like.

The correct application of go-pills is as follows...

Prior to an oceanic flight to Germany from the States, issue go pills and poopie suits. When the flight doc leaves, inform everyone in no uncertain terms that taking the pill inflight is only for manginas; it must be popped ONLY after landing, so an extended visit to the local gasthauses for mass-consumption, is not only possible, but inevitable.

:beer:

 

[SB Diver]

Limited to 5K? More like 1.5K, but might as well have been higher! Marine Prowlers went to 500' agl about ~ a year and a half later and it took the Navy sometime longer than that... go figure.

 

[Bjammin]

It wasn't called low level. It was called flying at 5000ft in an EA-6B. We did go to 1.5K after a while, but no kidding we were limited to 5K for a long while.

 

[SB Diver]

5K for a long while? Hugh? I flew the low level syllabus at 1.5K in the RAG just a few weeks after the incident. Maybe they didn't trust you expeditionary pilots! How are things with Cathay?

 

[Bjammin]

It could have been just expiditionary squadrons, but I don't think so. I truly don't remember how long we were at 5K, but our senior pilot got busted for flying at 3K above the San Juan islands and we went down to Red Flag with the same restriction, waste of time. WHAT A CROCK!!

Cathay's great!!! But San Dog is EXPENSIVE!!! Send money.

 

[malterf15]

Go Pills - AMPS

Can any military pilots elaborate on the fucntion of "go-pills?"

Go pills are for pushing it up after you land when you cross the pond coming back from wherever. I.E. Keflavik until 7AM after a 12 hour flight. It's a sort of "reward" for 6 - 9 tanker hook ups without falling to sleep.

 

[USN-AMSC-RET]

I heard it from a good source that the cable cut the "football" off the top of the EA-6B's vertical stabilizer. The crew got lucky, not much, if any damage to the rudder, allowing full control of the aircraft.

 

[Bjammin]

The football was fine, just a 6" gash in the right wing. Saw the airplane myself in JAX getting reworked.

Can you imagine seeing that cable 10' from the cockpit window while going 480KTS? Scary.