Hi
Yes, I think you are recalling Steve and my ejection on 7th January 1986 on top of Buckden Pike at 250ft and speed of 520knts+
I've given a brief over-view on the ejection.....
www.ejection-history.org.uk
Details below:
Just replying to your questionnaire.......to the
best of my
memory (Any photos are in storage whilst we wait for house to sell)
1. Ian Ferguson
2. Flt Lt
3. 34
4. 7th January 1986
5. 0940hrs approx
6. RAF - 29 Sqn Coningsby
7. McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2
8. Flt Lt Steve Williams 29 Sqn Coningsby
9. XV 434
10. 29 Sqn
11. 'J' tail letter
12. ?
13. RAF Coningsby
14. 250 feet
15. 520+knts
16. 30 degrees nose down wings level
17. Buckden Pike - Pennines
18. mountainous - lots of loose rocks
19. clear cold winters day - snow on mountain tops
20. Peacetime Trg Sortie 4-ship mission
21. Self (Independent) ejection
22. Canopy jettisoned automatically in ejection sequence
23. Rolling seat - feet first - some grey out in decel
24. broken elbow either in collision with left canopy wall (this was a very sudden right hand only pull on ejection handle) Left still on throttles! OR elbow collided with PEC in airblast. Both visors blown off - Lost flying gloves part of O2 regulator. Broke right leg on impact with ground.
25. Massive time expansion - Could almost remember every detail of ejection (eyes open) in hundredths of second. This included initial seat charge firing and looking over front windscreen just prior to main rocket firing and then seeing myself leave the jet and it's impact into the mountain.
26. No
27. Mk7A with Irvin chute
28. Normal low level mission at 250ft 2 F4's acting as fighters verses 2 F4's acting as low level targets. We turned in behind at 1-1 1/2 miles for a chase down which involved reheat and accel to 520 knts plus. The nose of my jet 'dipped' - thinking this was a UCM I attempted to raise nose to encounter a sudden 8G pitch which forced my head down between my knees and the control column by my right ear! I attempted to slacken off the violent pitch but then encountered a windscreen full of ground as the jet pitched violently 30 degrees nose down - tried to recover into another big pitch up - decided to GO! Ran stick trimmers fully nose down and pulled handle with only right hand...the rest is history...as described above.
Difficulty getting out of parachute on ground which billowed up and started to drag me in the wind on the mountain top. Finally after much prayer and struggle freed myself from parachute harness and PSP which were all attached to this full parachute dragging me towards the edge of a cliff 2,500 ft down the mountain. Helicopter rescue excellent - My PSB was transmitting all the time despite NOT being able to activate it myself. No pain / No unconsciousness on mountain. Saw Jet Provost pass very low over me and Canberra searching for us. Mayday relay went out from the number 2 F4's navigator.
My Nav passed through the fireball and his parachute was burnt in half - literally. he imp[acted the mountain and suffered major injuries. He was found lying in the snow face down in unconcious position -Miraculously saving his life! I do believe through prayer and good medical support went back to flying, but aircraft without ejection seats. I went back to fly F4's and then converted to Tornado F3's also a Flt Sim Instructor before retiring and taking up my present vocation as a minister in Grace Community Church, Blackburn.
The reason for the accident according to the official Bo E investigation was a 'Feel Bellows' proportional pitch control system exploding in the fin. How? ---Poss through a Feel bellowsTube blockage(leading edge of fin) the clearance at high speed which caused a sudden in filling of air into the proportional bellows pitch control system and a rupture
causing violent pitch control motion.
Hope this information is of interest to your readers.
p.s. I've never lost a wink of sleep or ever been scared of flying again....(A question I'm sometimes asked)
Very kindest of regards
Ian