Comments on: F-18 crash in San Diego http://project7alpha.com/2008/12/f-18-crash-in-san-diego/ American Airlines in Burma 1942 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:55:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Chip http://project7alpha.com/2008/12/f-18-crash-in-san-diego/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Chip Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:54:48 +0000 http://www.project7alpha.com/?p=195#comment-35 Travis; Thanks for the input; altho I disagree. First; catastrophic engine failure on the F/A-18 is not unheard of: I saw one myself on launch from the USS Midway. The Hornet ended up in the water. No doubt he circled the ship; however I suspect he was diverted immediately. The squadron was VMFA 101, the training squadron for the FA-18. Which means the pilot was most likely a student and thus not fully qualified. SOP would have sent him to the beach, not concern for where the jet ended up. No doubt squadron and ship reps communicated w/him but I doubt a. that a Boeing tech rep was aboard for CQ (carrier qualification) and b. even if he was his input would not be sought unless there was a compounding emergency. Blowing the gear down would have been the LAST thing he did not the first, if it was necessary. And in this case I'd say it was not; there was no mention of hydraulic failure. So normal gear accuation via the hyd from the good engine should have been available. Yes I have stiff legged it from the boat to a divert. Actually it happens often. The Navy/Marine aircraft have the numbers in their manuals for gear down and gear up diverts. It shows the precise fuel required to reach a given distance and the fuel burn etc. The first thing the ship/squadron reps would have done is figure those numbers before diverting him (thus the circling). I doubt he dumped fuel. He was CQing thus was probably already at landing weight or close when he launched. Besides you can not dump all your fuel. stand pipes prevent it from being dumped below a certain level and the low fuel light would have illuminated. If that had happened IMO he would have diverted to San Clemente Island. The jet burned, or at least was reported to. There was alot of smoke in the pictures so I do not think it ran out of gas. A transfer problem maybe, however I'm not familiar enough w/the Hornet to speculate. Thanks for yours tho! Travis;
Thanks for the input; altho I disagree.

First; catastrophic engine failure on the F/A-18 is not unheard of: I saw one myself on launch from the USS Midway. The Hornet ended up in the water.

No doubt he circled the ship; however I suspect he was diverted immediately. The squadron was VMFA 101, the training squadron for the FA-18. Which means the pilot was most likely a student and thus not fully qualified. SOP would have sent him to the beach, not concern for where the jet ended up. No doubt squadron and ship reps communicated w/him but I doubt a. that a Boeing tech rep was aboard for CQ (carrier qualification) and b. even if he was his input would not be sought unless there was a compounding emergency.

Blowing the gear down would have been the LAST thing he did not the first, if it was necessary. And in this case I’d say it was not; there was no mention of hydraulic failure. So normal gear accuation via the hyd from the good engine should have been available.

Yes I have stiff legged it from the boat to a divert. Actually it happens often. The Navy/Marine aircraft have the numbers in their manuals for gear down and gear up diverts. It shows the precise fuel required to reach a given distance and the fuel burn etc. The first thing the ship/squadron reps would have done is figure those numbers before diverting him (thus the circling).

I doubt he dumped fuel. He was CQing thus was probably already at landing weight or close when he launched. Besides you can not dump all your fuel. stand pipes prevent it from being dumped below a certain level and the low fuel light would have illuminated. If that had happened IMO he would have diverted to San Clemente Island.

The jet burned, or at least was reported to. There was alot of smoke in the pictures so I do not think it ran out of gas. A transfer problem maybe, however I’m not familiar enough w/the Hornet to speculate. Thanks for yours tho!

]]> By: Travis http://project7alpha.com/2008/12/f-18-crash-in-san-diego/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Travis Sun, 04 Jan 2009 04:22:59 +0000 http://www.project7alpha.com/?p=195#comment-34 A catastrophic engine failure on the F/A-18 is unheard of. Even if something like that were to happen then the Pilot would have received all the associated warnings for the other engine. Reports state his first engine failed after takeoff. You know and I know that he probably circled the ship receiving tech rep support. Someone thought it was a bad idea to bring him back aboard. Someone didn't want another broken bird on the ship. Blowing the gear would have been one of the first things he did. You ever try to stiff leg back to base on one engine? Oh yeah...I'm sure he dumped fuel to get into landing configuration. So...stiff leg and dumped fuel? I'm going to speculate away. This guy ran out of gas. A catastrophic engine failure on the F/A-18 is unheard of. Even if something like that were to happen then the Pilot would have received all the associated warnings for the other engine.

Reports state his first engine failed after takeoff. You know and I know that he probably circled the ship receiving tech rep support. Someone thought it was a bad idea to bring him back aboard. Someone didn’t want another broken bird on the ship.

Blowing the gear would have been one of the first things he did. You ever try to stiff leg back to base on one engine? Oh yeah…I’m sure he dumped fuel to get into landing configuration. So…stiff leg and dumped fuel?

I’m going to speculate away. This guy ran out of gas.

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