Excellent story about ditched Nimrod

[Ignition Override]

It was shown on (US) "Discovery Wings" Channel tonight, as just one segment of RAF Coastal Command. They have various features on "The Wings of Britain".

I have never seen a story on the near disaster, where there was a fire in one, then both right engines, which could have quickly burned the wing off. The Flt. Lt. received an award for his superb handling of the double engine fire. Only 'minor' injuries among the crew. The sea was very calm that day and they splashed down very fast with no flaps-the fuselage later split in half as it floated for a while, but they ditched only five miles from RAF Lossiemouth.

On another channel at the same time was a "History Int'l Channel" show on the Battle of Britain. What a choice, after a tiring four-day trip through the crappy, bumpy skies of the Great Lakes- and only two pilots (bad galley coffee), lots of gauges/switches crammed into panels with NO modern cockpit automation, nor autobrakes!:ooh::confused:

[Ignition Override]

Thanks Mike. I recall the narrator stating that the fire got into the other engine, right next to number three. From the Sea King helo which rescued everyone, the video showed that the wing area above the inboard engine looked charred. What a miracle that the sea was calm-that must have influenced the Acft. Commander's decision to put it down on the water? By the way, you probably can't ditch a C-130, or other high-wing planes.:ouch:

[The Nr Fairy]

I seem to remember seeing on TV that the look on that captain's face as he was winched up the the SAR Sea King was one of absolute dejection. That I can understand, but well done again anyway.

[BATS]

If I remember rightly the fire was caused by the failure of the starter motor which fired bits straight into the wing fuel tank at high rpm causing an uncontrollable fire. The motor should be fail safe, however, I heard something at the time about lock nuts being the wrong way round and not locking !.

[newswatcher]

XW666 - great number for an "unlucky" aircraft!

and another photo, courtesy of ACA Interactive communications
http://www.bosee.com/aviation/videos/product-list/videopics/ditching.jpg

[S76Heavy]

It must be a very difficult decision to actually throw away the aircraft to preserve life of the occupants. There will probably always be this nagging thought in the back of the head that it could have flown on.. At least that is how I feel every time I study the emergency checklist and come across the words "ditch immediately". Well done indeed.

[Vage Rot]

Indeed it was the Airstart valve that was stuck open. The in flight drill at the time was to remove the bulb from the warning light as, obviously, the warning must be spurious in flight!

Result, the starter spins up to about 13,000 RPM and disintegrates putting metal into the tanks - FIRE!

Apparently, the guys could see the wing glowing and then they could see right through it - but I don't know if that's myth or not.

One of the Crew seats detached from the rail and ended up in a hole in the floor - safe aircraft we fly!!

Vage!

[FFP]

A great man who I've had the pleasure of meeting

His story is great. An interesting part of it concerns the guys strapped in down in the back. Can't remember the exact details but as stated above it did come undone. Part of the metal work scraped on one of the guys arms.

The shape it made, with three lines that curl ?

666.

[Roland Pulfrew]

I can vouch for the fact that Art was a good instructor as well as a great pilot, he taught me how to fly the Mighty Hunter. At the time we were all taught how the flt deck crew were unlikely to survive a ditching - something to do with the vertical deceleration crushing spines if memory serves correct. Must have been one h*ll of a decision to ditch that close to Lossie. The weather was indeed fantastic on the day and Lossie was well within sight.

[DICKY the PIG]

On a lighter note, I believe there is a letter in 201 Sqn's history book from "Art" to Flt Lt P.L. who had lent him his chip hat because Art had left his at Waddington. It reads along the lines of
" Dear P,
Sorry for losing your forage cap, I left it onboard the aircraft. I believe the cost of a new hat is £25. I have bought you £25 worth of tickets in the Xmas Draw, I hope they bring you as much luck as your hat did me.
Love
Art"
I believe this is a true story, if it isn't .......well it's a good one anyway

[nurjio]

Art taught us PN at Cranditz in 1980. He was a hero then coz he thought we were all wasters and so he treated us like s**t. At least we new where we stood.

[Mr Proachpoint]

QUOTE "It must be a very difficult decision to actually throw away the aircraft to preserve life of the occupants. There will probably always be this nagging thought in the back of the head that it could have flown on."

In my airforce we were taught early on that if an aircraft has let you down badly enough to seriously consider ditching or abandoning, it is probably going to be a fairly easy decision to make. If the situation is bad enough, it is much easier to explain to the AOC your point of view than a court of inquiry to explain to the family(s).

An incredible story about a skipper whose instincts prevailed over what would have been expected of him. A superb example of CRM too.

MAPt

[FJJP]

S76H... Er I don't think so in this case. Yes, immediately after it happened and in the helio, he was in shock and full of self doubt (his words to me), but after seeing the photographs and discussing it all with Steve, he was in no doubt that he made the right decision.

Apart from anything else, he is one of the few pilots in the Royal Air Force to have an assessment of ability as... 'EXCEPTIONAL'.

The award of the Air Force Cross, followed by promotion to Squadron Leader (for exceptional leadership), confirmed to him just how right he was. Reinforced by the investigating engineers assessment that they were less than 90 seconds from structural failure.

Self, nagging doubts...? I don't think so.

[donpizmeov]

I was lucky enough to be the SAR skipper out of Ice Station Kilo at the time. Had just finished pre-flight and asked the crew chief to top up the tanks and headed back to the mess. Had not finished the first cuppa when scrambled for this ditching. Became airborne and almost overflew the scene straight away. Helo was on top and winching the guys before our second pass, and was on the way home with the crew within minutes!!!
I believe the Helo was doing a SARex only miles from the ditch site!!!
If I remember right the ditching was almost on extended centre line, only a few miles from a runway at Lossie. Very hard decision to ditch so close to home, but as mentioned the Mighty Hunter would not have made the distance, so a very good call.
We climbed, put 40000lbs of JetA1 back into the north sea, and returned to Kinloss. Unfortunately our flight was too short and we continued on SAR, and the Crew Chief was miffed that he had to refuel again!!!
Ahhh those were the days......Still miss that Scrufs Bar!!!!
Don

[Oggin Aviator]

40000lbs of Jet A1 - large tanks on your SK then !! ;)

Oggin

[Tocsin]

Oggin,

Methinks the SAR skipper was in a close relative of the ditched aircraft, not a SK...

[donpizmeov]

Not a Sea King but a Nimrod. Never have touched those fling wing things.
However the Sea King guys did a great job on this ditching, just as they do with every rescue they get call for.

[Divergent Phugoid!]

I believe the said aircrafts nosecone is in good old Donny aircraft museum along with all the press reports...

Why it exactly ended up there escapes me but makes interesting reading...

Donny Museum??

"Ive seen it. Its a smelly old shack full of dead flies"

:ok: :ok:

[Oggin Aviator]

Don

Apologies for my misunderstanding :O
Thought the RAF SK must have a secret stash for all that fuel :D

Agree the SAR crews do a great job; I appreciate their skills every time I get hoiked out the sea during drills and I applaud their courage and professionalism when doing the real thing, sometimes in really testing conditions :ok:

Oggin