June 24, 1994 - Hotshot B-52 pilot crashes and kills his crew at Fairchild AFB
This is definitely a military culture thing and seems to be specific to the Air Force where (pilot)officers seem to be made into these hot shot God-like individuals that cannot be questioned or reigned in. Or at least people are afraid to and here it led to tragedy.
It's just not the same in the Army or Marines where officers have different roles.
June 25, 2024, 10:39 AM
kkina
quote:
Originally posted by sourdough44: Watched the video, learned that the steep turn was part of a ‘go around’ with the other aircraft still on the runway. In my mind that’s even more of a fail in airmanship.
His version of a go around was at 250’ above the ground, very high angle of bank. And again, done in a B-52.
The idea would be to be back on final at some point, stabilized, for the planned ‘roll & go’. That is NEVER going to happen with the tight turn at 250’AGL. Midway in the turn the right seater should have done more than speak up.
There was mention of control inputs, after the aircraft was stalled.
That Guam crash next in line was tragic also, 2008 I think.
Apparently he cut the turn way short possibly to avoid crossing over a restricted area just behind the tower where nuclear weapons were stored. The question remains "why?" Why not just go around it as he should have?
Originally posted by PASig: This is definitely a military culture thing and seems to be specific to the Air Force where (pilot)officers seem to be made into these hot shot God-like individuals that cannot be questioned or reigned in. Or at least people are afraid to and here it led to tragedy.
It's just not the same in the Army or Marines where officers have different roles.
I wouldn't say it's exclusive to the USAF...senior officers have great sway over their subordinates' careers and in some ways their quality of life regardless of service. They can very easily lean on those below them and influence/change issues.
Ward Carroll points out one egregious example with a USMC pilot & air group commander, at the 1988 El Toro airshow.
June 25, 2024, 02:42 PM
Sigmund
quote:
Originally posted by john1: Does anyone have any information regarding the 1981 (approx) ceash of a B-52 in Otero County, Colorado?
Edit: Oops looks like I was on page 1 and didn’t see the above post. Sorry. .
June 25, 2024, 05:59 PM
john1
I was in the area of La Junta back then and saw B-52s 0n their bomb runs pretty often. It was not unusual to see one overhead with their bay doors open. A friend of mine got up to piss just when the crash happened and said he thought it was dawn when he looked out the window. thanks for the info, guys.