View Full Version : Japanese jet crashes on takeoff
TOKYO (AP) - A Japanese fighter jet crashed an instant after takeoff and went up in flames Wednesday at an airport in central Japan, leaving the two pilots with minor injuries, an official for aircraft's manufacturer said.
The F-2B fighter was on a test flight prior to delivery to Japan's air force when it crashed, said Hideo Ikuno, a spokesman for the Daiya public relations firm representing the plane's maker, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Footage on commercial broadcaster TV Asahi showed the jet taking off from the runway in Nagoya, only to suddenly tip downward and skid along the ground in flames. National broadcaster NHK showed the pilots jumping from the burning plane.
The flames were extinguished within 10 minutes of the crash, Ikuno said. The two crew members were taken to a hospital with minor injuries, Ikuno said. Ikuno said the company was seeking further details about the crash.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ffximage/2007/10/31/470_jet,0.jpg
LowObservable
31st Oct 2007, 13:50
"Went up in flames"?
Either it's :mad:ing good paint or the TV station doesn't know the difference between "shower of friction induced sparks" and "flames".
Either it's ing good paint or the TV station doesn't know the difference between "shower of friction induced sparks" and "flames".
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1605246.jpg
Video link. (http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/videoplayer/0,,31200-1290888,00.html) :ooh:
johno617tonka
31st Oct 2007, 14:41
crew did well to get out of that one....
whats with the fella half way through the clip moving bales of hay?? totally unprotected from the fire.....
or doesnt the a/c have that nasty stuff anymore...hydrazine(???)
Archimedes
31st Oct 2007, 15:13
:ouch:
That's expensive. IIRC, you can buy four F-16C Blk 52s for the cost of one Mitsubishi F-2... Glad to see the two occupants exited stage left with minimal injury.
kokpit
31st Oct 2007, 16:08
Guess that's a :mad:ing good paint job then ;)
harrogate
31st Oct 2007, 16:46
This routine slagging of journalist reports is getting tedious.
This plane did burst into flames.
If you're going to criticise, at least get it right.
LowObservable
31st Oct 2007, 16:52
I stand corrected... Don't know if the F-2 has an APU or jet-fuel starter, although it's been considered many times for the F-16. As they say about hydrazine "in the event of inhalation, administer last rites immediately."
John Farley
31st Oct 2007, 19:28
I remember the Station Commander (that shows my age) driving his Landrover onto the runway after a Hunter mate sank on to his (large) drop tanks just after pulling the wheels up. Said mate yanked it off succesfully amid an impressive firework display but the Staish (cool eh?) ran about afterwards kicking the tank bits all over the place.
High_lander
31st Oct 2007, 20:31
Source - Wikipedia
...The F-2 program was controversial, because the unit cost which include development costs is roughly 4 times that of a Block 50/52 F-16 which does not include development costs ... The initial plan of 141 F-2s would have reduced the unit cost by up to 10 million dollars per unit not including reduced cost from mass production. As of 2005 up to about 98 aircraft were planned. Also controversial is the amounts claimed to be paid to American side as various licensing fees, although making use of the pre-existing technology was much cheaper than trying to develop it from scratch.
The Japanese may eventually make up to 98, at a cost of roughly 100 million USD each in 2004 dollars...
H Peacock
1st Nov 2007, 08:26
Having watched the video I am somewhat surprised that the crew did not eject. How did they know it was not going to end in tears!