DeVries and four other A-10 pilots assigned to the 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., were practicing bombing and strafing runs at Grayling Air Gunnery Range when the trouble began, the release said.
On DeVries’ second pass, his gun malfunctioned and the canopy blew off his aircraft. The wind then caught in his helmet and slammed his head against his seat. “It was like someone sucker punched me,” he said. “I was just dazed for a moment.”
The A-10 was then flying at about 150 feet, so DeVries climbed to 2,000 feet and lowered his seat to avoid the wind.
Maj. Shannon Vickers was flying behind DeVries and saw the sudden climb. He flew beneath DeVries’ aircraft and noticed that several covers were blown from the jet when the gun malfunctioned. The two “Red Devils” decided to fly to Alpena to land.
When it was time to attempt a landing, Vickers again flew beneath DeVries’ aircraft to check the landing gear and saw that the nose gear was hung up because of the damaged gun. The pilots determined it was best to land without using the gear.
Vickers then guided DeVries in for the landing. “I flew him down, calling out his altitude,” said Vickers, according to the release. “He came in flat, I mean it was a very smooth landing.”
The Air Force is investigating the cause of the original malfunction. “The A-10 is still at Alpena where it is being repaired and will return to the flying inventory at Selfridge,” the release said.