Military jet crashes in San Diego neighborhood...

[dd74]

Hmmm...this could be bad...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/08/military.jet.crash/index.html

[911boost]

As a kid I had a friend who's father was part of the test program for the F-14 in the Navy. He experienced engine failure, but due to his location, in a residential area, he didn't eject, and flew the crippled plane to an empty field. He did not survive, but no one else was injured. He was a brave man, that left a wife and couple of young children.

Bill

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by BSiple

As a kid I had a friend who's father was part of the test program for the F-14 in the Navy. He experienced engine failure, but due to his location, in a residential area, he didn't eject, and flew the crippled plane to an empty field. He did not survive, but no one else was injured. He was a brave man, that left a wife and couple of young children.

Bill

I was going to ask: Should the pilot have stayed with the plane, steered it clear of the houses, and died a hero? It looks like 4 innocents dead. They must be trained to make quick decisions like this. Maybe he couldn't control the plane, anyway. In any case, a tough situation for the pilot.

[ruf-porsche]

They are trained to survive. Forget the collateral damages.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Engine failure on approach 2 miles from the airport in a dense metro area, he probably had very few options. No doubt he was already low and slow, and I doubt an F-18 has a very good glide ratio.

[flashgordon13]

It looks like he was aiming for the unoccupied hills by these homes before he bailed and was trying to get the plane to go down into a bunch of trees. Sounds like he had very limited options and simply made the best decision he could at the time. The people who lost loved ones must feel differently as I would too. My prayers are with the families.

[Rot 911]

I am waiting to hear the rest of the story. If he did have the option of staying with the plane and saving innocent lives I don't know how he is going to be able to live with his decision to bail out.

[JavaBrewer]

A witness described the pilot punching out when the plane was at tree top level. He obviously did his best in a rotten circumstance.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by dmoolenaar

A witness described the pilot punching out when the plane was at tree top level. He obviously did his best in a rotten circumstance.

Even then he probably thought he was going to die anyway. Check out that footage of the F-14 test flight where the same thing happened. Pilot bailed at treetop level and then was floating down onto a giant fireball. The wind pushed him away at the last minute, but he was about to get cooked.

[Seahawk]

I really feel for this young man. The F-18 is a fine airplane but has some quirks at low maneuvering speeds.

I never second guess a pilot in command of any aircraft. I honestly hope he can forgive himself since he will replay the moment of his ejection and the decisions he made everyday for the rest of his life.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Even then he probably thought he was going to die anyway. Check out that footage of the F-14 test flight where the same thing happened. Pilot bailed at treetop level and then was floating down onto a giant fireball. The wind pushed him away at the last minute, but he was about to get cooked.

If you're talking about the first F-14 crash, hydraulics failure, on approach to Calverton
they both came out with only minor injuries...

as for this one, i'm sure he punched out at the last minute, sure can try getting away from houses, but there's no reason why he shouldn't punch out if there's nothing else he can do to improve the situation...