23 Jul 10: CF-18 Crash @ Lethbridge Airport

[DexOlesa]

I expressed my opinion. I was wrong. I admitted it and moved on. Feel free to do the same.

 

[mariomike]

Had a family friend who passed away last December who was a member of the Caterpillar club - he bailed out of a Lancaster into Denmark in '44.

This airman bailed out of a Lancaster, without a parachute, into Germany in '44:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Alkemade

 

[Fishbone Jones]

This airman bailed out of a Lancaster, without a parachute, into Germany in '44:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Alkemade

Please don't derail the thread.

Milnet.ca Staff

 

[a_majoor]

Another link to pictures: http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/07/23/4739027-pilot-ejects-an-instant-before-fighterjet-crashes

What is really amazing to me is the way the ejection seat is already oriented "up" in the first picture even thought the Hornet is rolling over just before the ejection. That must have been a very rough ride (blasted out of the plane then making a sharp manouevre to achieve correct orientation).

 

[Loachman]

Head's down, too. He'll have a stiff neck for a while.

 

[WingsofFury]

Statement from Capt. Bews

Statement from pilot of CF-18 demonstration Hornet

July 26, 2010

Winnipeg, Man. – Captain Brian Bews, the Canadian Forces 2010 Demonstration Hornet pilot who ejected from his CF-18 in Lethbridge, Alta. Friday has authorized disclosure of his injuries – compression fractures in three vertebrae – and has issued the following statement:

“I feel extremely lucky considering the magnitude of the accident; Martin Baker is my new best friend! I will be concentrating on rest for the next while, but will make a complete recovery. I would like to thank the Canadian Forces SkyHawks and the other first responders for their quick reaction to the accident, as well as the staff at the Lethbridge Hospital who have taken such great care of me. I would also like to thank my family, friends, my demo team and my air show family for their amazing support since the accident.”

Martin Baker is the brand name of the ejection seat credited with saving Capt Bews’ life when he ejected from his aircraft seconds before it impacted the airstrip during a practice run for the 2010 Alberta Airshow.

“Given the incredible amount of force in the ejection sequence, this type of injury is very common in aircrew who eject,” said Major Rachel Morrell, Wing Surgeon at 4 Wing, Cold Lake, Alta. “We can expect a full recovery and return to duty for Captain Bews.” She also added that the time to fully recover in order to return to flying duties varies greatly and is determined on a case-by-case basis.

“We're extremely relieved to see Capt Bews quickly recovering from Friday's accident,” said Colonel Alain Pelletier, Commander 3 Wing Bagotville, Que. “His timely reactions and successful ejection during the event demonstrate his professionalism and are the outcome of two key elements: thorough training of our demo pilot and survival equipment of our modernized CF-18.”

The exact cause of the crash is unknown at this time. A Flight Safety investigation is currently underway.

- 30 -

Note to Editors: To allow Capt Bews to sufficiently recuperate, he will not be made available for interviews at this time. For more information, please contact:

Captain Holly Brown

Public Affairs Officer

1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region

Tel: (204) 833-2500 ext. 6795 Cell: (204) 227-8535

E-mail: holly.brown@forces.gc.ca

Also an fyi - contacted Public Affairs and they advised that he'd be released from the hospital in the next couple of days and will be taking some RnR afterwords to recouperate.

 

[WingsofFury]

How I'll choose to remember this hornet...

 

[HavokFour]

That right there is one lucky son of a gun, I hope he bought a lottery ticket!

Have they figured out what went wrong?

 

[SupersonicMax]

That right there is one lucky son of a gun, I hope he bought a lottery ticket!

Have they figured out what went wrong?

Flight Safety Investigations can take years to complete, especially when most of the aircraft is completely destroyed.

 

[Loachman]

The level of minute detail that investigators go into is pretty incredible. One of many clues used to determine the cause of the Kiowa crash to which I referred earlier was an impression in the back of the Turbine Outlet Temperature (TOT) gauge made by the needle at the instant that the helicopter hit the water. The engine was running at 420C, well below the normal range, and consistent with operation under no load at all; the main drive shaft had sheared due to torque spikes as a result of the freewheeling unit (the part which failed) slipping and grabbing.

During the investigation of another fatal Kiowa crash in Suffield the previous year, one of the clues was the crystalline structure of the broken filament in the HYDR BOOST caution light. The force of the machine's impact broke the filament while it was at a high temperature, which indicated that the hydraulic system had failed, causing the light to illuminate.

It takes time to gather all of these tiny details, analyse them, link them together, test various hypotheses, and reach a conclusion.

 

[gaspasser]

WOW, talk about taking the photo "as it happens"  Nice shots and very glad to hear that the pilot lives to fly another day.  Quick thinking on his part...

 

[gaspasser]

Looks like Capt. Bews is now qualified to be a member of the Martin Baker  "Ejection Tie Club."

http://www.martin-baker.com/Sub-Navigation/Ejection-Tie-Club.aspx

"The club where you have to get thrown out to be allowed in." 

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-club-where-you-have-to-get-thrown-out-to-be-allowed-in-1019514.html

From what I've heard about punching out...can't say I'd boisterously wish to become a member of that club....However, the alternative....I hear that you end up a tad shorter than before... ???
Luckily a guy named Martin say fit to invent this fantastic life saving devise for flight.   

 

[karl28]

  I watched allot of the video that was provided by CTV.ca website . All I can say to that is glad that the pilot is alive and hope that the pilot can make a speedy recovery .

 

[57Chevy]

"The club where you have to get thrown out to be allowed in." 

Actually.....one would have to be "punched out" to be allowed in.

Or.....maybe that's another club ;D

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Actually.....one would have to be "punched out" to be allowed in.

Or.....maybe that's another club ;D

First rule is....... we don't talk about that club

 

[WingsofFury]

It's official - the remainder of the 2010 CF-18 demo season has been cancelled.

Remainder of 2010 CF-18 Demo Team shows cancelled
July 30, 2010

Winnipeg, Man. – The remainder of the 2010 air show season for the Canadian Forces CF-18 Demonstration Team, which comprises eight air show venues across North America, has been cancelled today.

Insufficient time to nominate and fully prepare a substitute pilot has made the continuation of the 2010 show season untenable. Air shows at which the Demo Team was scheduled to perform are:

■Wetaskiwin Air Show: Wetaskiwin, Alta., August 6-7
■Abbotsford International Airshow: Abbotsford, B.C., August 13-15
■Windsor International Air Show: Windsor, Ont., August 21-22
■Val d’Or Air Show: Val d’Or, Que., August 28-29
■Canadian International Air Show: Toronto, Ont., September 4-6
■Nova Scotia International Air Show: Shearwater, N.S., September 11-12 
■California International Airshow: Salinas, CA, October 2-3
■San Francisco Fleet Week: San Francisco, CA, October 9-10

The 2010 Demo Hornet jet crashed and was destroyed on July 23 during a practice session for the Alberta International Airshow in Lethbridge, Alta. Captain Brian Bews, the demo pilot from 425 Tactical Fighter Squadron based at 3 Wing Bagotville, Que., successfully ejected from the aircraft and is currently recovering from the back injury he sustained during the ejection sequence. He is expected to make a full recovery, but is not expected to fly for several months.

“It is unfortunate we will not be able to finish the season,” said Brigadier-General Richard Foster, Acting Commander 1 Canadian Air Division, “but we simply cannot and will not rush the preparation of another demo pilot. The well-being of our pilots and their safety will always be the deciding factors in such decisions.”

The exact cause of the crash is unknown at this time. A Flight Safety investigation is currently underway.

- 30 -

For more information, please contact:         
Captain Holly Brown
Public Affairs Officer
1 Canadian Air Division/Canadian NORAD Region

http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&id=3493

 

[The Bread Guy]

Initial "From the Investigator" report now out here (also attached):

During an airshow practice at Lethbridge County Airport, Hornet CF188738 experienced a loss of thrust from its right engine while conducting a high alpha pass at 300 ft above ground level (AGL).  Unaware of the loss of thrust but feeling the aircraft sink, the pilot selected military power on both throttles to the arrest descent.  The aircraft continued to sink and the pilot selected afterburner on both throttles.  The aircraft immediately began to yaw right and continued to rapidly yaw/roll right, despite compensating control column and rudder pedal inputs.  At approximately 150 feet AGL and about 90 degrees of right bank, the pilot ejected from the aircraft.  The aircraft continued to yaw/roll right with its nose descending in a tight right descending corkscrew prior to hitting the ground nose first.

The ejection and seat-man separation worked flawlessly but the pilot was injured when he touched down firmly under a stable chute.  After landing, the parachute shroud lines became entangled around the pilot’s left leg and the parachute re‑inflated before it could be released, causing him to be dragged several hundred meters.  The pilot was able to release the remaining Koch fittings just as members of the Sky Hawks, the Canadian Forces parachute demonstration team, arrived on scene to provide assistance.  First aid was administered to the pilot who was subsequently transported to the Regional Hospital.

Field examination of the engines did not reveal any anomalies.  Both engines were sent to the Quality Engineering and Test Establishment for a detailed inspection. Concurrently, photogrammetric analysis is taking place to ascertain certain flight and engine parameters which could not be recovered from the Advanced Memory Unit and other recording devices.  Finally, modeling and simulation has been undertaken to better understand the factors (e.g., throttle splits, altitude) affecting the aircraft’s recovery under various conditions.

The investigation will be focussing on the loss of thrust experienced by the right-hand engine, the factors that precluded an in-flight recovery of the aircraft, and CF-18 demonstration pilot training.

 

[TazAwst]

Ladies and gents, Capt. Bews ejected from a cf-18 using a Naces seat, SJU-17/B not mk.10 its more of a equivalent of the mk.14....and for those people who feel free to comment on something they think they know something about, but really do not. Leave your flight simulators at home and try and join to fly the real deal. then your opinions and comments may change.

 

[aesop081]

Ladies and gents, Capt. Bews ejected from a cf-18 using a Naces seat, SJU-17/B not mk.10 its more of a equivalent of the mk.14....and for those people who feel free to comment on something they think they know something about, but really do not. Leave your flight simulators at home and try and join to fly the real deal. then your opinions and comments may change.

Hi Belka....back so soon ??

 

[Strike]

Ladies and gents, Capt. Bews ejected from a cf-18 using a Naces seat, SJU-17/B not mk.10 its more of a equivalent of the mk.14....and for those people who feel free to comment on something they think they know something about, but really do not. Leave your flight simulators at home and try and join to fly the real deal. then your opinions and comments may change.

That's a great first post there.  Way to make an impression.

If you read through you'll note that the non-18 types have been deferring to the CF 18 pilot for confirmation/further information on the seat used in this specific ejection.