View Full Version : F-18 down nr Lakenheath
No longer ATC
21st Oct 2015, 10:42
Sky news reporting a US F18 crashed 5 miles NW of RAF Lakenheath a short while ago-no further news.
Near Redmere, in the Ely area according to the BBC.
Arclite01
21st Oct 2015, 10:52
F-18 ??
or F-15 ??
MATELO
21st Oct 2015, 10:52
from AirLive.net
f-18 crash near to Shippea Hill station near Ely.
1 of 6 returning to US via UK from deployment in middle east.
Stitchbitch
21st Oct 2015, 11:39
BBC News quoting 1 fatality. :sad:
Paracab
21st Oct 2015, 11:39
A sad update from the police (via ITV) confirming that one person is deceased. It is not clear whether this is the pilot or someone on the ground.
Bladdered
21st Oct 2015, 11:40
US Navy pilot killed in F-18 jet crash in Cambridgeshire Fens - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-34593948)
RIP
Simplythebeast
21st Oct 2015, 11:44
Sad end for a pilot returning home from duties in the Middle East. RIP.
chopper2004
21st Oct 2015, 12:55
RIP
Sad news, I did pop by on sat and took several photos as they arrived (in local area for several birthdays in and around Ely and a few when the remaining quartet arrived yesterday afternoon )
As I am lead to believe the trip back home for the first six kept getting put off because numerous reasons such as astorm front over the Pond on Monday (when they were suppose to have left at lunchtime ) plus supporting Fat Albert had tech probs with one engine.
Semper Fi
staplefordheli
21st Oct 2015, 14:03
Daily fail reporting it was having issues inflight refueling? . What just 5 miles and minutes after take off surely still climbing out at that range
Nantucket Sleighride
21st Oct 2015, 14:21
some excellent, but now poignant shots from a few days ago
The Red Devils arrive @ the Heath (More Added)..... (http://forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=70145)
MATELO
21st Oct 2015, 14:29
Daily fail reporting it was having issues inflight refueling? . What just 5 miles and minutes after take off surely still climbing out at that range
Maybe it was returning after a failed attempt.
Tashengurt
21st Oct 2015, 16:02
All the more tragic for being at the end of deployment and all that that means for those waiting.
RIP
glad rag
21st Oct 2015, 17:56
RIP.
http://justminivodkas.com/usmc.JPG
chopper2004
21st Oct 2015, 19:34
I have been informed this maybe said a/c (my photo from yesterday on approach)
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g209/longranger/IMG_9503_zpsswf3qu8c.jpg
All the best,
garyscott
21st Oct 2015, 20:40
Chopper, that is indeed the bird. 165181/WT-00. VMFA-232, Mazda 43. Semper Fi. :sad:
lmgaylard
21st Oct 2015, 21:27
Very sad news. RIP
NutLoose
21st Oct 2015, 21:37
Poor guy, and worse for coming off combat missions.
There will be a family back home relieved that he survived the mission and that he was on his way home, who are now receiving the sad news that he will never return.
RIP and as they say in the U.S., thank you for your service.
Mach Two
21st Oct 2015, 22:57
His poor family and friends. Expecting him home from ops only to lose him on the way home. Bloody tragic.
Faithless
22nd Oct 2015, 04:46
So tragic. If it's any comfort, we can honestly say that this accident, investigation and his death will be treated with the most dignified respect possible whilst big brother is in little brother's back yard. R.I.P comrade.
fisbangwollop
22nd Oct 2015, 06:28
The 5 remaining aircraft aborted the planned refuel and Atlantic crossing and diverted into Lossiemouth.
http://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=74&t=121362
scudpilot
22nd Oct 2015, 07:25
I do not understand how an aircraft can run out of fuel 5 minutes into a flight? What am I missing here?
Kitbag
22nd Oct 2015, 08:14
I do not understand how an aircraft can run out of fuel 5 minutes into a flight? What am I missing here?
Who says it ran out fuel?
Let the investigators get in and do their job.
Video report on pilot included in TV station link.
SAN MATEO COUNTY MARINE PILOT KILLED IN FIGHTER JET CRASH IN ENGLAND (http://abc7news.com/news/san-mateo-marine-pilot-killed-in-fighter-jet-crash-in-england-/1045047/)
Wednesday, October 21, 2015 11:28PM
Friends and family are mourning the loss of a Marine fighter pilot from San Mateo County. Major Taj Sareen died in England where his jet crashed. He ejected but did not survive.
Sareen graduated from the University of San Francisco in 2004. He was a pilot in the Marine Corps for nearly 11 years. Sareen made an impression on everyone he met, including several journalists.
ABC 7 News Photographer Chris Jewett attended USF with Taj Sareen. Even before Sareen embarked on his military career, Jewett says he knew he wanted to make a difference. "He had this confidence and infectious smile. When he came in the room everyone wanted to talk to him whether he was wearing his dress blues or not," Jewett said. "It just seemed like something he was called to do, something meaningful."
According to his LinkedIn profile, Sareen joined the Marine Corps as an F/A-18 Pilot in 2005. Major Sareen was stationed at Marine Corp Air Station Miramar in San Diego County. His jet was one of six coming back to the states from the Persian Gulf when it crashed in England. There are reports he avoided crashing in residential area. Something San Diego anchor/reporter Preston Phillips says sounds like him. "I knew that was Taj. That's Taj in a heartbeat. I mean, he would do that to save people," Phillips said.
Philips met him while living in downtown San Diego. He says Sareen made quite the first impression. Turns out he was not only the kind of guy who would lend out his car, he was the kind of guy who would let friends borrow his red Ferrari. "Who drives a red Ferrari? And I see this guy come down in a flight suit and introduced himself. He was like, 'Hey my name is Taj. Hey if you want to take the Ferrari sometime you're more than welcome to take it,'" Phillips said.
Generous, humble and passionate -- that's how both friends described him.
"He was where he wanted to be. He was with his squad," Jewett said. "He died doing what he loved and at the end of the day, he wouldn't want to be mourned, he'd want to be remembered and celebrated as someone who was a great guy," Phillips said.
Sareen leaves behind a family, including a young daughter.
Scuffers
22nd Oct 2015, 14:46
I do not understand how an aircraft can run out of fuel 5 minutes into a flight? What am I missing here?
Who says it ran out fuel?
Let the investigators get in and do their job.
exactly.
My guess (and that's all it is) is that with a ferry range of ~2,000 miles, they took off with the plan to top off the tanks at altitude to extend their fuel range.
(not sure if the 2,000 is with 3x drop tanks or without?, 3 tanks is another 60% fuel)
MFC_Fly
22nd Oct 2015, 14:52
exactly.
My guess (and that's all it is) is that with a ferry range of ~2,000 miles, they took off with the plan to top off the tanks at altitude to extend their fuel range.
So, agreeing to stop the speculation and let the experts get on and do their job followed immediately with your own speculation - priceless :ugh:
Scuffers
22nd Oct 2015, 15:44
Was not speculating as to why it crashed, just why they would think about refueling.
Sorry, is that now tabo too?
misd-agin
22nd Oct 2015, 16:04
It is fairly standard SOP to do a refueling check shortly after departing. That way you know, at least for now, that the refueling systems are working. Until they're checked in flight it's just an assumption that the system will work.
BEagle
22nd Oct 2015, 17:33
Ah yes, the USAF's old 'proving bracket' bolleaux which most other air forces binned about 30 years ago....
Perhaps it was to ensure that the boom operator was awake?
Reports on other sites suggest that the mishap USMC pilot 'was' ejected?
Rhino power
4th Feb 2017, 14:41
Small update-
Uncertainty Still Surrounds Hornet Crash That Killed Marine Pilot | Military.com (http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/12/07/uncertainty-still-surrounds-hornet-crash-killed-marine-pilot.html)
Death crash US jet pilot 'did not report issues' - BBC News (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-38854373)
-RP
SASless
5th Feb 2017, 02:29
I thought liberal applications of Rudder ensured the Boomer was awake in the Legacy 135's.
Sad to hear this, commiserations to family and friends.
Wee Weasley Welshman
5th Feb 2017, 11:54
Is there a full board of enquiry style report available/imminent?
I am not sure about the military situation but my observations from the civilian side are that glass cockpits + our iPad/smartphone culture means that the children of the magenta line have transformed into the children of the unquestioning belief in the screen. Because it seldom goes wrong any more they/we don’t believe it when it does.
WWW
dat581
6th Feb 2017, 09:58
F/A-18 pilots are not trained to be head down staring at their DDI's.
No fighter pilot worthy of the name would do so.
Just This Once...
6th Feb 2017, 19:22
F/A-18 pilots are not trained to be head down staring at their DDI's.
No fighter pilot worthy of the name would do so.
What are you talking about?
We have all just guessed that you have never sat behind a HUD, or watched the symbology whizz by in a blur at high rates, or had to recover from an unusual attitude.
To imply that this poor chap was neither trained or capable of flying on head-down instruments is plain crass. Expanding it to suggest that no fighter pilot can fly on instruments just makes you look stupid.