gt1434a@prism.gatech.edu (MARTIN,HENRY DODD) (11/11/89)
From: gt1434a@prism.gatech.edu (MARTIN,HENRY DODD)
The Navy once again gets screwed over. Tonight (Thurs, 09 NOV 89) a Navy Plane
crashed into an appartment complex here in Atlanta, GA. I don't remember the
plane designation (I'm AFROTC not Navy), but it was a Corsair II. It app(sp) on approach to Dobbins AFB (NAS Atlanta) when there was some sort of
mechanical failure. The pilot reportedly "punched-out" at about 300 ft AGL.
<<<<<ALL OF THIS IS JUST WHAT I'VE HEARD THROUGH THE NEWS, THE NAVY HASN'T MADE
A STATEMENT YET, OF COURSE>>>>>
The pilot apparently has concussions from his head hitting the ground. They say
that the chute wasn't open completely when he hit the ground. The News has
conflicting reports, but there are about 12 people injured and none dead as
of the last report that I heard.
I have one question for anyone out there who knows about Navy Airplanes.
Does the Corsair II (A-8 or A-7 maybe???) have a 0/0 eject capability
(If the pilot "punches-out" while on the ground setting still, the chute will
fully open before the pilot hits the ground)? It looks like it doesn't, but
something could have gone wrong...baldwin@cad.usna.mil (J.D. Baldwin) (11/17/89)
From: "J.D. Baldwin" <baldwin@cad.usna.mil> In article <11333@cbnews.ATT.COM> MARTIN,HENRY DODD writes: >The pilot reportedly "punched-out" at about 300 ft AGL. > [ . . . ] They say >that the chute wasn't open completely when he hit the ground. > > I have one question for anyone out there who knows about Navy Airplanes. >Does the Corsair II (A-8 or A-7 maybe???) have a 0/0 eject capability >(If the pilot "punches-out" while on the ground setting still, the chute will >fully open before the pilot hits the ground)? It looks like it doesn't, but >something could have gone wrong... A zero/zero eject capability does *not* imply a wide "ejection envelope". I can't speak specifically for the A-7 ejection seat, but the ESCAPAC in the A-4J and S-3A that I'm familiar with has a very safe zero-zero record. Still, survivability in an ejection situation depends mainly on nose-down angle, roll attitude, sink rate, and airspeed. Although an S-3A ejection on the ground at any airspeed is considered well within the envelope ("safe," as such things go), an S-3A ejection at 300 ft. AGL with a 20-degree dive angle, wings level, 1000 fpm sink rate (not excessive by any standard), and approach airspeed of about 120 knots is WELL outside the envelope--probably no chance of survival for front-seat crewmen. My recollection is that the A-7 (and all other carrier-deployable aircraft) *does* have a zero-zero seat. This wouldn't protect the pilot in an in extremis situation at 300' AGL with, presumably, a substantial nose- down angle, some roll, and a high sink rate. Pure speculation, of course, but this sounds like another of those he-stayed-with-it-longer- than-he-should-have stories. If he ejected on the edge of or outside the envelope, he may have gotten a partial chute, which saved his life. -- >From the catapult of: |+| "If anyone disagrees with anything I _, J. D. Baldwin, Comp Sci Dept |+| say, I am quite prepared not only to __||____..}-> US Naval Academy |+| retract it, but also to deny under \ / baldwin@cad.usna.navy.mil |+| oath that I ever said it." --T. Lehrer ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~