Accidental and fatal ejection over southern England
I'm hoping someone here can verify an example I have been using in a project management course relating to risk management in design and procedure.
I'm sure I recall a strange case of a pilotless military jet found heading west over southern England in level flight. The aircraft was intercepted and the lack of a pilot and canopy was confirmed. It was chased until it ran out of fuel and crashed in to the Atlantic.
This must have been 20 years ago.
After extensive testing, a particular scenario was found which could explain what had happened.
The pilot, being of a certain height and in that aircraft at that particular time of day and year, adjusted his seat and visor for the glare of the low sun. To do so, he had to move a map reading light which was on a stalk. The light fell out of its clip, and dropped down against the seat where it somehow fouled the ejector system. Operating the seat adjuster then fired the ejection system, and the poor guy was shot out into the slipstream without any warning. His body was later found on Salisbury Plain.
I have been using this story as an example in the context of the need to eliminate the chance of catastrophic consequences during routine procedures.
Has anyone heard of this incident? I'm not a military pilot, but I am wondering if an ejector seat system could be so simply fouled.