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Ex Douglas Driver
15th Sep 2003, 17:07
A very timely ejection decision (got out 1 second before impact)and a good reminder on why we adhere to display lines.

From CNN website
Fighter jet crashes at Idaho air show
Monday, September 15, 2003 Posted: 12:05 AM EDT (0405 GMT)

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/West/09/14/id.airshowcrash.ap/story.planecrash.jpg

An F-16 from the Thunderbirds flying team explodes on impact at Mountain Home Air Force Base Sunday. The pilot ejected safely.

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MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho (AP) -- A jet in the Air Force's elite Thunderbirds flight unit crashed at an air show Sunday, but the pilot ejected with only minor injuries and no injuries on the ground were reported.

About 85,000 spectators looked on as one of the six Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcons performing crashed during the "Gunfighter Skies 2003" air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, about 50 miles southeast of Boise.

Capt. Chris Stricklin ejected safely and was taken to a medical facility on base. Air Force officials would not disclose his condition, though immediately after the crash he reportedly waved to spectators.

According to witnesses, the jet was the last of six to take off and climbed straight into the sky. The pilot maneuvered the jet into a dive and steered toward the crowd. The jet seemed to suffer an engine failure when the pilot tried to pull up, witnesses said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.

The Thunderbirds unit has performed air demonstrations since 1947. The jets at the air show were from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

Video of accident (http://webcast.fiberpipe.net/idaho2news/idaho2news_ondemand195.htm)

DamienB
15th Sep 2003, 18:32
Better video available here, shows how close he was when he ejected (click the 'video' button under the headline).

http://www.kxly.com/common/getStory.asp?id=31254

Fox3snapshot
16th Sep 2003, 00:25
From the press release...

"The pilot maneuvered the jet into a dive and steered toward the crowd"

One would hope not !!!


:uhoh:

CBA_caption
16th Sep 2003, 02:33
http://news.bbc.co.uk/narrowband/avconsole/news/world/newsid_3110000/3110456.stm

Here's some film from the BBCs AV console


....However it doesn't work. go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/default.stm and click on "more video / audio" if you can be bothered

Runaway Gun
16th Sep 2003, 02:54
You've gotta laugh. In another Forum covering this accident a writer commented that it was 'lucky that General Dynamics designed the F16 to have a sidestick so as to enable access to the centre mounted ejection handle".

I'm sure that's why they did it !! :p

The pilot is very lucky to have gotten out of that one. A high ROD, combined with such low alititude. Great to hear that he sustained no injuries.