Scariest Day/Night Flying

[nittany03]

I think we have a winner, folks . . . Holy cow. Perfect example of a day when everything you hope never happens to you . . . does.

 

[Old NFO]

See- All you youngsters think the "Sea Stories" are BS- Y'all are flying a LOT safer than we did, either through legislation or better acft Just because it didn't happen to you doesn't mean it didn't happen... Go look in the archives of Naval Safety Center some time, there are stories there that will "really" curl your hair!

 

[scoober78]

I have no words....Thanks to you guys for contributing...great thread.

 

[SlickAg]

Didn't Stephen Coonts relate that story in his book The Intruders?

 

[Tex_Hill]

My boss is a retired RCAF Lt. Col. In 1980 he had to eject from a F-104D after the engine ingested a goose on take-off. He doesn't like to talk about it much but he did say that he - & the German exchange officer with him - ejected way out of the parameters for that particular model ejection seat and should not have survived the ejection.

I found a brief blurb about it here: http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/Canadian_CF-104.htm

Look for Captain Rick Wall.

 

[cr62]

Here`s the short version...June 19th, 1963. Transpac from NZJ to Atsugi, stops in Hawaii and Midway. All this in three days. 5 or 6 in flight refuelings, can`t remember exactly (CRS, old age). At the first refueling I`m in a Crusader, brand new, 52 hours total time on the bird (BuNo. 150298)refueling from a GV-1 (C-130H). The Herk was putting out way more fuel pressure that advertised and way, way more than F8`s check valves could hold back. Anyway I found out later that my bird took on 250 gals. more than the tanks could hold when the fwd. aux and the wing tanks exploded, flaming out the J-57. I dropped the Rat and tried for a relight ( I knew this was hopeless) Managed to set the entire mess on fire. Last I saw was 30% rpm and 1000 degrees..that`s as far as the TPT needle would go. Wingie told me that I had 200 feet of flame coming out of the bird.I pulled the curtain...nothing, then the alternate handle..still nothing. I tried to blow the canopy...nothing. I finally opened the canopy manually, clam shell type, it went bye-bye. I unhooked and went over the port side, hitting the refueling probe, but missing the tail. Estimate about 250 kts. Pulled the D ring...nothing. Manually pulled the `chute from the pack. The pilot `chute opened, but the main one was twisted, never opened. Total fall was about 10,000 to 15,000 feet. I hit feet first, ripped off the seat pan with the raft, broke both ankles, both legs, back, neck,pelvis collapsed a lung, knocked 3 fillings from my teeth, and had a renal shut down (kidneys no workie)from the impact. My wingie followed me down and reported to the flight that I got out, but `chute didn`t deploy. A Herk came down and dropped me a raft which I couldn`t get into and after a couple of hours a Coast Guard SA 16 dropped another one which I hung onto until a mine sweeper, the USS Embattle (MSO 434) picked me up and later high lined me over to the USS Los Angeles (CA 135). They thought that the bad kidneys were gonna kill me so called for a Marine H-34 to come and get me (350 miles,a one way trip) He found the cruiser, refueled, and took me to the USS Haven, a hospital ship docked at Long Beach.Kidneys started up on their own on the trip to the beach, several operations and 6 months later, I was back in fighters.BTW, I lost a Marine Corps .38 cal pistol, which caused me more grief than losing the Crusader....Top That!

I remember reading that story about 15 years ago in either Hook or Proceedings...I was thinking about it when I opened this thread...Wow.

 

[cr62]

I remember in the mid 70's early one weekend morning walking down the hall and seeing an Intruder crew covered in blood but they seemed to be ok. (laughing) When asked what happend they replied they had hit an owl at 400 knots and it went right throught the B/N side of the "golden arches". (Yes the thick part) The blood was from the departed (literally) owl.

 

[Death Rattler]

Yep..Coontz used it in his book "Intruders"..It`s been written up several places over the years. Still haven`t decided if it was a good day or a bad day.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Here`s the short version...June 19th, 1963. Transpac from NZJ to Atsugi, stops in Hawaii and Midway. All this in three days. 5 or 6 in flight refuelings, can`t remember exactly (CRS, old age). At the first refueling I`m in a Crusader, brand new, 52 hours total time on the bird (BuNo. 150298)refueling from a GV-1 (C-130H). The Herk was putting out way more fuel pressure that advertised and way, way more than F8`s check valves could hold back. Anyway I found out later that my bird took on 250 gals. more than the tanks could hold when the fwd. aux and the wing tanks exploded, flaming out the J-57. I dropped the Rat and tried for a relight ( I knew this was hopeless) Managed to set the entire mess on fire. Last I saw was 30% rpm and 1000 degrees..that`s as far as the TPT needle would go. Wingie told me that I had 200 feet of flame coming out of the bird.I pulled the curtain...nothing, then the alternate handle..still nothing. I tried to blow the canopy...nothing. I finally opened the canopy manually, clam shell type, it went bye-bye. I unhooked and went over the port side, hitting the refueling probe, but missing the tail. Estimate about 250 kts. Pulled the D ring...nothing. Manually pulled the `chute from the pack. The pilot `chute opened, but the main one was twisted, never opened. Total fall was about 10,000 to 15,000 feet. I hit feet first, ripped off the seat pan with the raft, broke both ankles, both legs, back, neck,pelvis collapsed a lung, knocked 3 fillings from my teeth, and had a renal shut down (kidneys no workie)from the impact. My wingie followed me down and reported to the flight that I got out, but `chute didn`t deploy. A Herk came down and dropped me a raft which I couldn`t get into and after a couple of hours a Coast Guard SA 16 dropped another one which I hung onto until a mine sweeper, the USS Embattle (MSO 434) picked me up and later high lined me over to the USS Los Angeles (CA 135). They thought that the bad kidneys were gonna kill me so called for a Marine H-34 to come and get me (350 miles,a one way trip) He found the cruiser, refueled, and took me to the USS Haven, a hospital ship docked at Long Beach.Kidneys started up on their own on the trip to the beach, several operations and 6 months later, I was back in fighters.BTW, I lost a Marine Corps .38 cal pistol, which caused me more grief than losing the Crusader....Top That!

Did you publish this story in "Foundation" a few years back? Sounds strangely familiar to me. Anyhow, I agree w/ the other sentiments....incredible story!

 

[scoober78]

Still haven`t decided if it was a good day or a bad day.

Your alive...thats an above in my book.


Tough stuff...incredible story.

 

[Death Rattler]

If Foundations is the magazine of the Museum, then yes, it was in there, as well as "The Hook", "True". "Argosy", "Readers Digest", "Approach"and a couple of others. I was also a guest on the TV show "I`ve Got A Secret" You young guys never heard of that one or the host, Garry Moore I`m guessing. That was my 15 minutes of fame. I`m an old retired air line pilot now, spending my time riding motorcycles and taking naps.

 

[eddie]

spending my time riding motorcycles and taking naps.

Best retirement EVER, sir.

 

[bunk22]

Here`s the short version...June 19th, 1963. Transpac from NZJ to Atsugi, stops in Hawaii and Midway. All this in three days. 5 or 6 in flight refuelings, can`t remember exactly (CRS, old age). At the first refueling I`m in a Crusader, brand new, 52 hours total time on the bird (BuNo. 150298)refueling from a GV-1 (C-130H). The Herk was putting out way more fuel pressure that advertised and way, way more than F8`s check valves could hold back. Anyway I found out later that my bird took on 250 gals. more than the tanks could hold when the fwd. aux and the wing tanks exploded, flaming out the J-57. I dropped the Rat and tried for a relight ( I knew this was hopeless) Managed to set the entire mess on fire. Last I saw was 30% rpm and 1000 degrees..that`s as far as the TPT needle would go. Wingie told me that I had 200 feet of flame coming out of the bird.I pulled the curtain...nothing, then the alternate handle..still nothing. I tried to blow the canopy...nothing. I finally opened the canopy manually, clam shell type, it went bye-bye. I unhooked and went over the port side, hitting the refueling probe, but missing the tail. Estimate about 250 kts. Pulled the D ring...nothing. Manually pulled the `chute from the pack. The pilot `chute opened, but the main one was twisted, never opened. Total fall was about 10,000 to 15,000 feet. I hit feet first, ripped off the seat pan with the raft, broke both ankles, both legs, back, neck,pelvis collapsed a lung, knocked 3 fillings from my teeth, and had a renal shut down (kidneys no workie)from the impact. My wingie followed me down and reported to the flight that I got out, but `chute didn`t deploy. A Herk came down and dropped me a raft which I couldn`t get into and after a couple of hours a Coast Guard SA 16 dropped another one which I hung onto until a mine sweeper, the USS Embattle (MSO 434) picked me up and later high lined me over to the USS Los Angeles (CA 135). They thought that the bad kidneys were gonna kill me so called for a Marine H-34 to come and get me (350 miles,a one way trip) He found the cruiser, refueled, and took me to the USS Haven, a hospital ship docked at Long Beach.Kidneys started up on their own on the trip to the beach, several operations and 6 months later, I was back in fighters.BTW, I lost a Marine Corps .38 cal pistol, which caused me more grief than losing the Crusader....Top That!

 

[Fly Navy]

If Foundations is the magazine of the Museum, then yes, it was in there, as well as "The Hook", "True". "Argosy", "Readers Digest", "Approach"and a couple of others. I was also a guest on the TV show "I`ve Got A Secret" You young guys never heard of that one or the host, Garry Moore I`m guessing. That was my 15 minutes of fame. I`m an old retired air line pilot now, spending my time riding motorcycles and taking naps.

Reading that story, I can't believe you're alive to this date. You're a lucky SOB! Sounds like you're leading the good retired life now, you definitely deserve it!

 

[Tex_Hill]

Here`s the short version...June 19th, 1963. Transpac from NZJ to Atsugi, stops in Hawaii and Midway. All this in three days. 5 or 6 in flight refuelings, can`t remember exactly (CRS, old age). At the first refueling I`m in a Crusader, brand new, 52 hours total time on the bird (BuNo. 150298)refueling from a GV-1 (C-130H). The Herk was putting out way more fuel pressure that advertised and way, way more than F8`s check valves could hold back. Anyway I found out later that my bird took on 250 gals. more than the tanks could hold when the fwd. aux and the wing tanks exploded, flaming out the J-57. I dropped the Rat and tried for a relight ( I knew this was hopeless) Managed to set the entire mess on fire. Last I saw was 30% rpm and 1000 degrees..that`s as far as the TPT needle would go. Wingie told me that I had 200 feet of flame coming out of the bird.I pulled the curtain...nothing, then the alternate handle..still nothing. I tried to blow the canopy...nothing. I finally opened the canopy manually, clam shell type, it went bye-bye. I unhooked and went over the port side, hitting the refueling probe, but missing the tail. Estimate about 250 kts. Pulled the D ring...nothing. Manually pulled the `chute from the pack. The pilot `chute opened, but the main one was twisted, never opened. Total fall was about 10,000 to 15,000 feet. I hit feet first, ripped off the seat pan with the raft, broke both ankles, both legs, back, neck,pelvis collapsed a lung, knocked 3 fillings from my teeth, and had a renal shut down (kidneys no workie)from the impact. My wingie followed me down and reported to the flight that I got out, but `chute didn`t deploy. A Herk came down and dropped me a raft which I couldn`t get into and after a couple of hours a Coast Guard SA 16 dropped another one which I hung onto until a mine sweeper, the USS Embattle (MSO 434) picked me up and later high lined me over to the USS Los Angeles (CA 135). They thought that the bad kidneys were gonna kill me so called for a Marine H-34 to come and get me (350 miles,a one way trip) He found the cruiser, refueled, and took me to the USS Haven, a hospital ship docked at Long Beach.Kidneys started up on their own on the trip to the beach, several operations and 6 months later, I was back in fighters.BTW, I lost a Marine Corps .38 cal pistol, which caused me more grief than losing the Crusader....Top That!

You're famous Death Rattler. Check this page out: http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/PROJECT/YEAR_Pages/1963.htm#jun

Man, talk about an unlucky op. Two pilots from the same squadron having to eject two days in a row, wow!. I don't believe in karma, but that's scary!