Well-known Jet Ejections Of The Aviation History (Part 2)

Last time we presented a list of the ell-known jet ejections of the aviation history (part 1) and now we are back with some more of them. Most of the jet ejections this time involve the ones that occurred during the Air Shows that took place around the globe.

So without any further wait, let’s start our article for the well-known jet ejections of the aviation history (part 2).

F-16C Crash at the Mountain Home Air Force Base

While the chance of an aircraft crash to occur at the Air Show is quite rare, there is still a risk and this can be quite devastating for both the pilot of the aircraft and the spectating crowd. One of these rare crashed occurred at the Air Show that was held at the Mountain Home Air Force Base located in Idaho back in 2003. An F-16C was being flown by the pilot named Captain Chris Stricklin and while he was performing the Split S maneuver on his aircraft after performing the wrong MSL (Mean Sea-Level) maneuver at a wrong altitude, he made an aero in the following maneuver’s altitude. Realizing the mistake, the pilot was able to eject from the aircraft at only about 140 feet and nearly .8 seconds before the ground impact. Still, he ejected out of the aircraft while making sure that it would not crash and hurt the crowd down below.

While no one, including the pilot, got hurt, USAF lost their 20 million dollars worth of a jet fighter. This caused the USAF to call out on the performance of the Thunderbirds and set some flight instructions for them. Now pilots of the Thunderbirds are required to make a climb of the extra 1000 feet for performing the Split S maneuver and to perform the MLS maneuver, they need to first call out the ground safety operators.

Air Show Practice for CF-18 ends in a disaster

Back in July of 2010, an Airshow took place in Canada and before the real show; its practice was being carried out when the pilot named Captain Brian Bews, who was flying the CF-18 Hornet, found himself to be in total loss of control over his aircraft. While he was practicing a maneuver at a relatively low altitude, one the aircraft’s pistons got stuck which caused the engine to become idle in mid-air. Bews, after trying to get the plane out of the jam realized that it was impossible and to survive himself the oncoming disaster, he was able to eject from the aircraft with only moments to spare.

The ejection occurred smoothly but the parachute of Bews got wrapped up on his legs making his descent violent for the few hundred meters down but he was still able to survive. Due to the loss of the CF-18, the demonstration team of the aircraft decided to let go of this aircraft’s performance along with canceling of many other aircraft performances at both US and Canada.

Disintegration of SR-71

SR-71 Blackbird is the aircraft that was introduced back in 1961 for the USAF but even to this day and age of technology; this aircraft is the fastest one to be ever built. The aircraft was so special in its design and capabilities that the pilots of this aircraft were to wear a specially designed suit for flying it. This special suit cased the life of one lucky SR-17 pilot to be saved on a day of 1996.

During one of the test missions on that fateful day, the main pilot of the SR-71 Blackbird Bill Weaver took the aircraft to a height of nearly 75000 feet with the flight specialist named Jim Zwayer sitting behind him. At the speed of Mach 3.8, the aircraft suddenly felt what was an Inlet start, which resulted in the left engine to be unstarted.

While this was not a good occurrence for the plane, Weaver also knew that eh seat ejection at this height and this sped would literally be a death sentence for both him and the flight specialist. He tried to make the plane fly slower and it started to disintegrate in mid-air. In a short while, Weaver’s cockpit was gone and he was left with a full icy layer covering his mask as he was being hurled down towards the earth.

Both his partial parachute and the primary parachute got deployed to make his fall controllable. As for the time, when the aircraft was disintegrating, the suit of the SR-71 Blackbird was the one that helped him survived the effects of the mid-air disintegration. As for Zwayer, things were not so lucky because his neck got broken when he ejected. Still, his body got to the ground in the same manner as it was intended to be delivered while wearing the suit.

F4D Phantom Fighter falls over a Food Giant (Grocery Store) to cause a mayhem

Back in December of 1967, Tucson, Arizona suffered one of the most tragic accidents of aviation history. People were busy that day buying groceries from a grocery store named Food Giant when a particularly large explosion occurred on the backside of the store and soon it lit up in flames.

The huge sound and the fire was caused by the crash of the USAF’s F4D Phantom II fighter jet that had crashed in the back resulting in the destruction of 2 nearby houses as well. Nearly 15 people lost their lives in that incident whereas both the pilots were able to escape the crashing jet successfully and safely. This was the first accident of the USAF in Tucson.

An Unmanned A-7 Corsair of USAF crashed on a crowded Hotel

Back in 1987, the pilot of the USAF’s A-7 Corsair had to make an emergency landing following power loss to his aircraft. The pilot flying eh Corsair was Major Bruce Teagarden who decided to eject after realizing that he was not able to make it to the runway in time. The crash occurred at a slight distance from the Indianapolis Airport but the pilot was able to save his life and sustained only minor injuries in this crash.

As for the unfortunate aircraft, it unluckily crashed straight into a crowded Ramada Inn hotel. At that particular time, nearly 170 people were inside the hotel and the building structure immediately was engulfed in flames resulting in the death of 9 civilians.