Spider may have caused A'stan F-16 crash

[0497]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/08/03/215843/pictures-spider-may-have-caused-afghanistan-f-16-fighter-aircraft-to-crash.html

A Dutch air force Lockheed Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcon (http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=11171&rsbci=0&fti=126&ti=0&sc=400) that crashed on 31 August 2006 in Afghanistan while on a standard two-aircraft support mission from Kabul may have gone down because the pilot, who did not eject and died in the crash, was distracted by a spider in the cockpit.


I once had a spider appear on my car windscreen. There was an "oh sh*t!" moment but luckily it was on the outside.

[John Eacott]

I once had a spider appear on my car windscreen. There was an "oh sh*t!" moment but luckily it was on the outside.

If it were one of these little jiggers, I suspect we all may have been a bit distracted :eek:

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/412-1/afghanspider.gif

[Wensleydale]

Was it a Bulldog that was grounded in '75 following the greenfly epidemic that summer? A spider had moved inside the pitot tube and fed on the greenfly that the aircraft captured. Unfortunately the spider grew so large that it became wedged and died leading to a blockage within the tube and failure of the ASI.

PS. I tried to identify the spider in the post above, but couldn't find the Web site!

[ShyTorque]

Try looking for "camel spider" (although they aren't true spiders).

[John Eacott]

They will certainly give you a nasty bite, but not usually fatal.

From the Flight article. Is this a nasty bite?

http://www.eacott.com.au/gallery/d/414-1/spiderbite.gif

[toddbabe]

I don't think camel spiders are ever fatal are they? not unless you have some sort of massive allergic reaction to the bite and go into anaphylactic shock!

[toddbabe]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFm_Pv6LevQ
Ugly buggers though!!!

[cargosales]

Toddbabe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFm_Pv6LevQ
Ugly buggers though!!!

That's what Sigourney Weaver thought :}

Shame they had to build a very expensive set to prove it though :uhoh:

[abbotyobs]

Not trying to be a killjoy, but please remember that Sofac died in this tragic F16 crash in Afghanistan last year.
The insect theory is one of a number of possible causes, that may have led to the crash.

Sofac RIP.