US Navy F-18C catches fire on landing on USS Carl Vinson

[wessex19]

Happened last Monday on the 11th April. Well done to all parties as there were no loss of life or injuries. Aircraft was from VF-113

YouTube - F-18 Engine Fire At Sea

[getsometimein]

Not exactly lightning reflexes from the fire crews!

[mikip]

Just a naive question from a non naval person, if that fire damaged the flight deck what would they do about any other aircraft waiting to land, would the pilots have to eject and abandon the plane (assuming insufficient fuel left to reach another cariier or land)?

[Agaricus bisporus]

Not exactly lightning reflexes from the fire crews!


Oh come on! Which video were you watching? Not the one posted above! The first sign of foam from the vehicle appears about 15 seconds after the fire could reasonably have been recognised and is on full strength protecting the cockpit at T+30 secs though I daresay it felt like forever to the crew. (Shades of - Deke Slayton, was it? "Scared? Hell no! But I sure was impressed!")
The hose team weren't exactly sluggish either. (T+40sec)
15 seconds slow??? Were you expecting a response in 12?
Try having a fire miles away on an airfield sometime...


I call that response almost superhuman, even for an on the ball fire crew.

The result of a blocked deck and no diversion is pretty obvious I'd have thought. However decks aren't easily damaged by such a fire to the extent of denying landing, landings don't rely on brakes so a slippery patch on deck (fuel spill) isn't as critical as it might be on an airfield, they can almost certainly launch a tanker to keep aircraft airborne until things are cleared away or accompany them to shore. There are several options but ultimately nowhere to land must = go for a swim.

[TBM-Legend]

don't mention the 30+ knots of breeze down the flight deck at the time. You can see it affecting the fire crews.

Bravo Zulu to all.

[BEagle]

Not exactly lightning reflexes from the fire crews!

Wrong!

I make it about 11 sec from the aircraft stopping until the fire crews start work, although the vehicle is out of shot for a further 4-5 sec. They seem to have protected the pilot and forward fuselage area first, allowing safe egress, then concentrated on a persistent rear area fuel fire.

Good work from all concerned. When the UK's jobs-for-Jocks aircraftless carriers receive their first aircraft in about 2030 or whenever, will there still be RN fire crews who remember how to react like this?

[Tashengurt]

I was impressed by the pilot staying in the cockpit. The urge to get out must be huge but I'm guessing it's SOPs to stay put until you get some protection from the fire crews. A long half minute!

[SASless]

Not exactly lightning reflexes from the fire crews!

I did a nine count from the time the aircraft came to a stop before the first bit of foam began to show up in the video meaning it started before that as they approached the aircraft.

At no point did the fire approach the cockpit due to the effects of wind and fire suppression efforts. Picture perfect effort in my view!

Anyone that thinks that is deficient is simply being a Dumbass!:rolleyes:

[Pontius Navigator]

seconds 14-30-38.

Aircraft stopped at about 14-15 and the first foam was at 30. To get closer, quicker could have hazarded the firecrew had the pilot not been able to bring the aircraft to a halt at that point.

As for wind over the deck, it then looked as if it was actually across the deck and away from the island. In otherwords they may have turned the ship to keep the flames in a safe direction with the fire crews upwind.

[Neptunus Rex]

On a carrier, if a wrecked or damaged aircraft poses a threat to landing-on other arcraft, it would simly be pushed over the side. Also, there is often (not always) the option of other aircraft diverting ashore.

Navies simply get on with the job.

[JT Eagle]

I'm sort of interested as to why the USN chose to censor the PLAT video captions, given that they normally only show the time, date, carrier number, wind over deck and whether deck clear or fouled. As all of this except the wind speed is in the press release about the accident, and 'F' (foul deck) IS shown, you wonder why they bothered...

JT

[racedo]

Plane lands, firecrew get real live event they have been training at for years and do as they supposed to, Pilot ok aside from underwear, aircraft damage can be buffed out (eventually).

Not sure what else people expect as alternate is ditch into sea and let salt water take care of it..........possibly losing people.

Training worked as required to and bet your bottom dollar that video gets used again and again to remind deck crews that just because 1000 aircraft have landed safely it doesn't mean 1001 will be ok.

Yup no doubt they will highlight some mistakes BUT
Was aircraft recovered safely .........Yes
Is Pilot safe.........Yes
Is Aircraft usable again..........Yes after a bit of buffing out
Has Pilot got enough $$$$ to buy deck crew a beer........who knows but bet he glad to be able to do it.

[P6 Driver]

Thanks, Racedo,

"Plane lands, firecrew get real live event they have been training at for years and do as they supposed to, Pilot ok aside from underwear, aircraft damage can be buffed out (eventually)."

I hadn't realised what a non-event it was until reading that!
:)

[Alpha Whiskey]

1) SOP is to hit full power on trapping in case of bolter. Even though this jet was on single engine approach, the fire crew will have been expecting a degree of light and noise before getting stuck in when it's clear he's staying put.

2) SOP for all FW recoveriesis to launch a recovery tanker into the overhead. Othe a/c in the pattern woould simply climb and tank if fuel critical and no div available. CVNs have 4 cats, so presumably at least one would be available to launch the tanker spare if required.

[Unchecked]

I know nothing of fw carrier ops or firefighting, but it all looked very much in order to me, if anything a lot quicker than I would have imagined.

Well done to all.

It would have taken a Brit firecrew the same amount of time just to collapse the volleyball net.