US Navy grounds SHornets and Growlers...

[Rhino power]

Saw this article posted on another forum, seems to have been an issue with the canopy...

https://www.navytimes.com/articles/navy-aircrew-injured-at-nas-whidbey-island

-RP

[SpazSinbad]

Navy lifts operational pause of Growlers, Super Hornets

https://www.navytimes.com/articles/navy-lifts-operational-pause-of-e-a-18g-growlers-f-a-18-e-f-super-hornets

[SpazSinbad]

Mishap summary:
"A CLOSED AIRCRAFT CANOPY EXPLODED ON FLIGHT LINE DURING GROUND OPERATIONS"

[SpazSinbad]

"...According to U.S. Navy sources, while the accident is still under investigation, it appears that the EA-18G suffered from severe cockpit over-pressurization. As it was described, the canopy failed after a particular safety valve—which would have relieved the pressure—failed to operate correctly. The Navy is in the process of implementing procedural fixes to address the most immediate issues in an effort ensure that such an accident doesn’t happen again.

“There is an ongoing investigation into the Mishap experienced by VAQ-132 last Friday,” Commander Jeannie Groeneveld, a spokeswoman for Naval Air Force, told the National Interest. “I can confirm that the crew was troubleshooting cabin pressurization issues when the canopy failed, damaging the aircraft and injuring the crew. It is important to let the investigation run its course to determine all causal factors of this mishap.”..."
What's Wrong With the U.S. Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fleet? | The National Interest Blog (http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/whats-wrong-the-us-navys-boeing-f-18e-f-super-hornet-fleet-18797)

[ORAC]

Obviously blown out of all proportion.......

[Lonewolf_50]

RUMOR 1
Second hand information: something in the pitot static system iced up so the pressure to compare against by the pressurizing system returned a wrong value hence the pressure kept on increasing as the comparison value never got reached since the signal to the switch never matched up to get the pressurizing to stop.

As I said, second hand info so possibly missing some important detail.
RUMOR 2
Also heard that the aircrew were in bad condition due to something like the bends happening to them all that pressure, sort of like rapid depth increase in a submarine or scuba diving, then all released at once.


As noted, all above RUMOR and from a second hand source. Plausible, but bits missing.

[albatross]

Perhaps the crew had the "Afterburner Chili" for lunch before launch and that caused the overpressure in the cockpit?
Just joking.

[glad rag]

RUMOR 1
Second hand information: something in the pitot static system iced up so the pressure to compare against by the pressurizing system returned a wrong value hence the pressure kept on increasing as the comparison value never got reached since the signal to the switch never matched up to get the pressurizing to stop.

As I said, second hand info so possibly missing some important detail.
RUMOR 2
Also heard that the aircrew were in bad condition due to something like the bends happening to them all that pressure, sort of like rapid depth increase in a submarine or scuba diving, then all released at once.


As noted, all above RUMOR and from a second hand source. Plausible, but bits missing.

I doubt there is no mechanical outflow valve elektriks or not....

[Lonewolf_50]

Glad, my rumor information is obviously incomplete, and possibly wrong since it is a Rumor.

[TURIN]

Exploding Growlers? Oooer, missus!

[tartare]

Yes Turin!
While not wishing to denigrate the seriousness of whatever happened... it is always somewhat amusing to read about that particular variant of F-18 - given a fierce sounding nickname by the cousins - who may not have appreciated that Growler is urban slang for something completely different in certain parts of the world ;)

[Traffic_Is_Er_Was]

Cunning linguists those Yanks!

[Underbolt]

So it really *is* a pressure-cooker environment?

[West Coast]

who may not have appreciated that Growler is urban slang for something completely different in certain parts of the world


That's all right, we chuckled at Nimrod for the same reason.

[Lonewolf_50]

I thought a growler (http://www.webstaurantstore.com/libbey-70217-64-oz-amber-growler/99970217.html?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&gclid=CLK88sWkidECFQ6MaQodDkcLyA) was a big container of beer you get at a microbrewery.

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/images/products/extra_large/22822/646066.jpg

[sandiego89]

That's all right, we chuckled at Nimrod for the same reason.


And don't get me started on the No Dong missile....


Hope for a quick recovery for the Growler crew.

[BEagle]

sandiego89 wrote: And don't get me started on the No Dong missile....

Such naming mistakes are often encountered in the automotive world - such as Mitsubishsi Pajero, Rolls Royce Silver Mist, Chevrolet Nova, Ford Pinto and Toyota MR2...:hmm:

[Pontius Navigator]

If you fancy following BEagles deviation try this:

Language Translation: Test Product Names before Entering New Countries | Practical Ecommerce (http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/2189-Language-Translation-Test-Product-Names-before-Entering-New-Countries)

And another car name to conjure with Cougar.

[SpazSinbad]

"...One of the crew is in satisfactory condition but "has a ways to go," while the other is serious and improving in intensive care, according to Susan Gregg, hospital spokeswoman...." 06 Jan 2017
2 Navy Growler Aircrew Members Injured in December Still in Hospital | Military.com (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/01/06/2-navy-growler-aircrew-members-injured-december-still-hospital.html)

[SpazSinbad]

The right people at the right time save a crew’s life. Jan16, 2017
http://hrana.org/articles/2017/01/ea-18g-growler-crew-saved-by-portland-based-pjs-after-canopy-explosion/

[Rhino power]

Thanks for posting that link, Spaz, very revealing regarding the seriousness of the injuries the crew suffered, hopefully they both go on to make as full recoveries as are possible...

-RP