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F-15 accident report released



Air Combat Command Public Affairs


08/09/2005 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) - The failure of one of an F-15C's horizontal stabilators caused its pilot to lose control of his aircraft and crash during a training mission March 25,2005, about 45 miles north of Nellis AFB, NV., according to a report released by Air Combat Command today.

The mishap occurred during defensive basic fighter maneuver training with another aircraft when the pilot was executing a left rudder roll and the aircraft went out of control and entered a low rate erect spin. After five revolutions with no recovery, the pilot ejected safely with no injuries. The $47 million dollar aircraft was destroyed on impact.

According to the Air Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report, the primary cause of this accident was the failure of one of the F-15C’s horizontal stabilators. Investigators also determined the Out-of-Control/Departure Recovery checklist was causal in the aircraft's failure to recover from the spin because it does not mandate split throttle power selection during recovery.

For more information, contact the ACC Public Affairs office at (757) 764-5007 or e-mail acc.pam@langley.af.mil .



"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together...." - Carl Zwanzig

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
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30MM, did it specify the nature of the failure? Did it fail to operate or did it depart the airframe?

OC

Apparently that's the entire blurb, Chief. Know anyone at Langely?<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Duct tape is like the Force. It has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together...." - Carl Zwanzig

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

Im pretty familiar with the Manuever, he entered an out of command roll when the stab failed, even if he had Split the throttles. It would only slow the rate of spin. It is subjective at that point whether or not a jammed or disconnected(CONTROL) stabilator would of not interfered with a split thrust recovery. I suspect once that happens, like a jammed Flap. That once you got within approach speeds that tha aircraft would then be at max deflection and it would depart. This is not a situation with Populace Encroachment of airfields to even debate... better to punch at the minimum and go through the procedures to atleast beable to answer to the safety and collateral board. 5 spins is an average at HI HI manuevers but if he hit the min recommended eject altitude at 5....
The F15 is very forgiving at medium to lows in a SPIN. IT IS DESIGNED TO FIGHT IN OUT OF PLANE MANUEVERS

Time to punch and give it back to the taxpayers.

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\"A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. \"

George S. Patton