Blue Angel and Thunderbird jets crash today

Steve Carlton · 06-02-2016, 03:59 PM

The Blue Angels pilot was killed in Tennessee. RIP. The Thunderbirds pilot ejected safely in Colorado.

Blue Angels jet, Thunderbird F-16 crash - CNNPolitics.com

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

damn...

Mike80911 · Mike80911's Garage

Sad to hear. I just saw them perform at an air show over the weekend it is a pretty amazing show to watch.

dave 911 · dave 911's Garage

within an hour of each other in completely unrelated crashes (after years of incident free flying)? what are the chances of that? thoughts and prayers out to the Blue Angels pilot's family....

flatbutt · 06-03-2016, 05:25 AM

double damn. RIP pilot.

KNS · 11:41 AM

The T Bird crash was interesting, the plane was mostly intact and am wondering if it would have been survivable had he stayed with the aircraft (I'm sure it hit hard in any case). I'm guessing not controllable from the cockpit.

KNS · 06-03-2016, 11:39 AM

greglepore · 06-03-2016, 01:14 PM

Not sure I'd test that hypothesis.

BE911SC · 06-03-2016, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KNS

The T Bird crash was interesting, the plane was mostly intact and am wondering if it would have been survivable had he stayed with the aircraft (I'm sure it hit hard in any case). I'm guessing not controllable from the cockpit.

I think he flew it toward a safer area for it to crash, ejected, and it came to rest largely intact. I am a product of USAF flight training and the #1 killer in ejection seat aircraft is delayed decision to eject. Thunderbirds (and Blue Angels) pilots are highly trained and he must have had time (a luxury) to fly the jet as the engine failure developed to the point he knew he had to get out. Often, the media lauds a dead pilot for "steering the aircraft away from houses" (etc.) but the reality is that the pilot is trying to fly the jet past the point where an ejection is called for.

flatbutt · 06-03-2016, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KNS

The T Bird crash was interesting, the plane was mostly intact and am wondering if it would have been survivable had he stayed with the aircraft (I'm sure it hit hard in any case). I'm guessing not controllable from the cockpit.

I'm no pilot but I'm thinking if one of these guys says it's time to punch out then that's for sure what has to happen.

ted · ted's Garage

I heard the blue angel one was on takeoff?
was it one of the solos?
in the past on take off each solo did a barrel roll at the end of the runway,
one clean one dirty.

t6dpilot · t6dpilot's Garage

Blue Angel crash was on take off. Both clean and no slow rolls as I understand it. I suspect engine failure in that one also. Very sad. Condolences to the family of the pilot.