FULL text of above MUDDINESS.
MUD TRAP! - APPROACH Aug 1964
https://play.google.com/books/reader...GBS.PP88&hl=en
After touchdown an A-4B overran the runway, entered a 3-foot-deep pond with power on and buried itself in the mud bottom. The pilot was uninjured. After a sudden rush of mud and water into the cockpit floor area, the apertures sealed slowing the flow to a trickle. Because of the complete darkness the pilot knew he was submerged. He could judge the aircraft's attitude by the level of the mud and water. With his oxygen equipment performing satisfactorily, he had no trouble breathing.
The pilot's first reaction was to jettison the canopy by pulling the emergency canopy jettison. When this didn't work, he unlocked the canopy manually. Standing on the seat, he tried to force it open with his back and shoulders. He had to take his oxygen mask off because the hose was too short for him to stand with the mask on. He soon began to hyperventilate. Every few minutes he stopped and breathed from his mask. Mud had fouled the inhalation valve preventing normal exhalation through the mask.
At some point during his attempts to open the canopy, he tried to jettison it by pulling the face curtain down to the first notch. He states he was careful not to pull the curtain to its full length lest he fire the seat. There was an explosion but no apparent effect on the canopy.
(Note: The face curtain is not, repeat, is not an alternate canopy release handle. A fatal inadvertent zero-zero ejection has occurred in this aircraft because a pilot attempted to jettison his canopy by using the face curtain.--Ed.) Finally, fatigued and aware there was nothing he could do, he quietly awaited rescue. Once in a while he moved the stick so that movement of the elevators would show he was still alive. The rescue party rapped on the canopy to indicate work was underway but he did not hear them. He stated later that if he had had a survival knife he probably would have attempted to hack his way out.
"Escape from a cockpit buried in mud presents problems not encountered with the usual accident involving an underwater situation." the investigating flight surgeon states. "The following areas concerning this situation seem to warrant some thought and investigation:
"While it is known that most oxygen regulators used in high performance aircraft have underwater capabilities, the question arises as to what their performance would be even if properly utilized in an 'under mud' situation. The importance of keeping the face seal intact under such circumstances is well demonstrated by the manner in which the pilot allowed his inhalation valve to become fouled.
"The wisdom of opening the canopy under such circumstances is questioned, bearing in mind:
- Entry of mud into the cockpit.
- Possible failure of oxygen equipment secondary to mud damage.
- Difficulty of maneuvering to surface through mud.
- Drag produced by bulky clothing and attached gear.
- Limited oxygen supply available once the pilot switched to bailout bottle. This has been estimated as approximately three minutes under pressure such as present in this aircraft accident.
- Possibility of imminent rescue from outside help.
- Probability that as long as the aircraft's oxygen supply was available the pilot could safely utilize it, thus allowing time for rescue work to be accomplished.
- Fact that a small hole in the canopy such as could be made with a survival knife will not equalize internal and external cockpit pressures as in an underwater situation."
Rescue operations were hindered in this accident by both the crash crew's lack of knowledge of the location of the A-4B's external emergency canopy jettison handles and by the lack of equipment. A crane was not immediately available because there was no driver assigned; all the qualified drivers were at the accident scene. A driver was dispatched to bring the crane. In the meantime, two men familiar with the jettison handle positions obtained a shovel and together dug the mud away from the left side. They activated the left handle, then the right handle with no results.
When the crane arrived, the aircraft was raised and the canopy was opened by means of the canopy access handle which was partially activated. The pilot was then free.
The investigating flight surgeon estimates that the delay in obtaining the services of the crane added 10 to 15 minutes to the rescue time. Under other circumstances this interval might have been crucial."