Raptor Down
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Raptor Down
In the first reported crash of the military's next generation fighter jet, an F/A-22 Raptor slammed into the ground and exploded during takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base Monday (20/12/2004) afternoon. The pilot, whose name was not released, ejected safely moments before the crash. He was taken to Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital for evaluation. A Nellis spokeswoman said he was "up and walking around." A fire engine based at Nellis flipped over as it sped to the scene of the crash, but nobody was injured in the wreck, an Air Force official said.
The crash marked the first mishap involving a Raptor since the Air Force began taking delivery of the aircraft two years ago. The unarmed F/A-22 destroyed Monday was assigned to the 53rd Wing's 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron. It was one of about 25 Raptors the Air Force has received so far, and one of eight assigned to the testing program that began at Nellis in January 2003. Equipped with stealth technology to help it evade enemy aircraft, the twin-engine Raptor flies fast enough to cross the 12,000-square-mile Nellis range in seven minutes. It can drop bombs, fire air-to-air missiles and shoot a six-barrel cannon.
Nellis Air Force Base expects to receive nine more Raptors in the next five or six years. The aircraft is scheduled to become combat ready in 2005.
"It is by far the most advanced aircraft, not only in the U.S. fleet but in the world," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Goldfein, commander of Nellis' Air Warfare Center.
Goldfein said all aircraft at the base will be grounded this morning until the crash site is inspected in daylight. The seven remaining Raptors at Nellis will undergo a thorough inspection before they are flown again, he said. The inspections could take hours and be done today or they could take several days, Goldfein said.
"The purpose, of course, is to prevent anything like this from happening again," he said. "Obviously, we are looking for the specific reason why the accident occurred."
Goldfein said the plane wasn't high off the ground when the pilot ejected from the cockpit. Nellis closed its runways immediately following the accident, which sent a large plume of black smoke billowing into the sky over North Las Vegas.
Four F-16C Fighting Falcons assigned to the Air Force's precision Thunderbirds flying team landed at McCarran International Airport while the runways at Nellis were closed. McCarran spokeswoman Debbie Millett said the arrival of the Thunderbirds did not cause any delays for commercial flights.
The crash was at least the fourth involving a military aircraft in Southern Nevada this year. On Nov. 9, a $40 million Navy F-18 Hornet went down north of Las Vegas shortly after take-off. Both the pilot, who ejected safely, and his single-seat aircraft were assigned to the Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia. In June, an Air Force pilot safely ejected from a military jet that crashed during a training mission about 70 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Five people were killed in a March crash involving an Air Force plane ferrying contractors to a remote part of the Nellis Test Range about 125 miles northwest of the base. The last known crash within Nellis Air Force Base itself occurred in March 1996, when an F-15C Eagle fighter jet slammed into the ground and exploded on takeoff. The Langley, Va., pilot ejected safely. The only other reported accident involving the F-22 was a non-fatal crash landing that occurred during testing and development of the aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in 1992.
Glad to see he got out safely
The crash marked the first mishap involving a Raptor since the Air Force began taking delivery of the aircraft two years ago. The unarmed F/A-22 destroyed Monday was assigned to the 53rd Wing's 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron. It was one of about 25 Raptors the Air Force has received so far, and one of eight assigned to the testing program that began at Nellis in January 2003. Equipped with stealth technology to help it evade enemy aircraft, the twin-engine Raptor flies fast enough to cross the 12,000-square-mile Nellis range in seven minutes. It can drop bombs, fire air-to-air missiles and shoot a six-barrel cannon.
Nellis Air Force Base expects to receive nine more Raptors in the next five or six years. The aircraft is scheduled to become combat ready in 2005.
"It is by far the most advanced aircraft, not only in the U.S. fleet but in the world," said Maj. Gen. Stephen Goldfein, commander of Nellis' Air Warfare Center.
Goldfein said all aircraft at the base will be grounded this morning until the crash site is inspected in daylight. The seven remaining Raptors at Nellis will undergo a thorough inspection before they are flown again, he said. The inspections could take hours and be done today or they could take several days, Goldfein said.
"The purpose, of course, is to prevent anything like this from happening again," he said. "Obviously, we are looking for the specific reason why the accident occurred."
Goldfein said the plane wasn't high off the ground when the pilot ejected from the cockpit. Nellis closed its runways immediately following the accident, which sent a large plume of black smoke billowing into the sky over North Las Vegas.
Four F-16C Fighting Falcons assigned to the Air Force's precision Thunderbirds flying team landed at McCarran International Airport while the runways at Nellis were closed. McCarran spokeswoman Debbie Millett said the arrival of the Thunderbirds did not cause any delays for commercial flights.
The crash was at least the fourth involving a military aircraft in Southern Nevada this year. On Nov. 9, a $40 million Navy F-18 Hornet went down north of Las Vegas shortly after take-off. Both the pilot, who ejected safely, and his single-seat aircraft were assigned to the Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia. In June, an Air Force pilot safely ejected from a military jet that crashed during a training mission about 70 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Five people were killed in a March crash involving an Air Force plane ferrying contractors to a remote part of the Nellis Test Range about 125 miles northwest of the base. The last known crash within Nellis Air Force Base itself occurred in March 1996, when an F-15C Eagle fighter jet slammed into the ground and exploded on takeoff. The Langley, Va., pilot ejected safely. The only other reported accident involving the F-22 was a non-fatal crash landing that occurred during testing and development of the aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in 1992.
Glad to see he got out safely
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the twin-engine Raptor flies fast enough to cross the 12,000-square-mile Nellis range in seven minutes.
. If the range was 750 miles wide, then the F22 is slower than a C150 
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re: cost
according to the global security site the F/A-22 comes in at about US$96.7 million or £50.2 million. didnt someone on the typhoon tranche 2 thread mention a unit cost for that of £48 million. fairly close, arent they
according to the global security site the F/A-22 comes in at about US$96.7 million or £50.2 million. didnt someone on the typhoon tranche 2 thread mention a unit cost for that of £48 million. fairly close, arent they
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not according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal
"But as the cost of the F/A-22 has swelled, estimates range from $130 million to $250 million each, the number of aircraft the Pentagon plans to buy has shrunk from 750 to about 300, according to the Government Accountability Office. "
"But as the cost of the F/A-22 has swelled, estimates range from $130 million to $250 million each, the number of aircraft the Pentagon plans to buy has shrunk from 750 to about 300, according to the Government Accountability Office. "
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Sorry to split hairs, but isn't this at least the second F22 crash? I have seen video of one crashing on approach after going into a divergent oscillation in pitch (fbw software issue?) several times.
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High speed crossing of Nellis range
Indeed you did LJR but did you in fact do it by staying outside the Box as opposed to thinking outside of it? Not quite Methinks!
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heres some snippets for what their worth...
Eyewitness accounts point to an explosion just after takeoff, with
flames bursting out the side/rear, quickly engulfing the aircraft, the pilot ejected successfully, however his condition is unknown, hes been transferred to a local hospital.
The aircraft is in two peices, rear fusalage and forward fusealage/and forward fusealage/cockpit area at the end of the runway. a report mentions the F/A-22 was 'unarmed', one report said the aircraft split in two before hitting the runway, another the plane broke up after hitting the deck.
Another quote from Eye witness :-
"I saw a flame shoot straight up to the sky. The plane did a barrel
roll and then it came up and started tumbling and about two seconds later, or less, i saw a big ball of flame."
Could be uncontained engine explosion, or a fuel tank explosion, what else could cause such a large emission???
More woe:-
Quote:
An Air Force water tanker truck took a corner too fast getting out to the crash and rolled. The accident caused only minior injuries to
Nellis firefighters.
Anyone know which Raptor was involved it was from the 422 T and E sqdn? 4012?
Eyewitness accounts point to an explosion just after takeoff, with
flames bursting out the side/rear, quickly engulfing the aircraft, the pilot ejected successfully, however his condition is unknown, hes been transferred to a local hospital.
The aircraft is in two peices, rear fusalage and forward fusealage/and forward fusealage/cockpit area at the end of the runway. a report mentions the F/A-22 was 'unarmed', one report said the aircraft split in two before hitting the runway, another the plane broke up after hitting the deck.
Another quote from Eye witness :-
"I saw a flame shoot straight up to the sky. The plane did a barrel
roll and then it came up and started tumbling and about two seconds later, or less, i saw a big ball of flame."
Could be uncontained engine explosion, or a fuel tank explosion, what else could cause such a large emission???
More woe:-
Quote:
An Air Force water tanker truck took a corner too fast getting out to the crash and rolled. The accident caused only minior injuries to
Nellis firefighters.
Anyone know which Raptor was involved it was from the 422 T and E sqdn? 4012?
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The "fully amortised" cost of an F/A-22 is estimated at around $250 million, so no, Juliet, it isn't fairly close to the Typhoon, which the NAO cites as £49.1 million ($95 million). And that doesn't even scratch the surface of what the proposed FB-22 bomber variant is going to cost!
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We won't be seeing one of these airborne for a little while, I expect from this USAF story:
12/22/2004 - WASHINGTON -- of units flying the F/A-22 Raptor called for a safety stand down of the fleet following a crash Dec. 20 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
The pilot ejected safely and suffered no serious injuries.
The aircraft, assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis, crashed on takeoff and exploded. Officials said an interim safety board will investigate the accident, but it may take months before an official determination can be made as to the cause.
Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein, commander of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis, stood down the remaining seven F/A-22s at the base immediately following the crash pending a complete inspection. That inspection could take hours or days to complete, depending upon findings.
“The purpose (of the inspections) is to prevent anything like this from happening again,” the general said.
Commanders at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and Edwards AFB, Calif., have also suspended F/A-22s from flying during a precautionary safety stand down.
“It’s doubtful (the Raptors) will be grounded for the entire length of the investigation,” said Air Force spokesman Doug Karas.
“The Air Force will investigate the accident and apply what it learns to improve flight safety of the F/A-22,” Mr. Karas said. “There should not be a long-term impact to the F/A-22 program.”
The Raptor is a priority transformational program and has logged more than 7,000 flight hours. Air Force officials said they plan to purchase about 277 of the aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp.
“I have full confidence in the investigation process and await the results of the accident and safety investigations,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. “Both investigations are important to determine the cause and prevent future mishaps.”
12/22/2004 - WASHINGTON -- of units flying the F/A-22 Raptor called for a safety stand down of the fleet following a crash Dec. 20 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
The pilot ejected safely and suffered no serious injuries.
The aircraft, assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis, crashed on takeoff and exploded. Officials said an interim safety board will investigate the accident, but it may take months before an official determination can be made as to the cause.
Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Goldfein, commander of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis, stood down the remaining seven F/A-22s at the base immediately following the crash pending a complete inspection. That inspection could take hours or days to complete, depending upon findings.
“The purpose (of the inspections) is to prevent anything like this from happening again,” the general said.
Commanders at Tyndall AFB, Fla., and Edwards AFB, Calif., have also suspended F/A-22s from flying during a precautionary safety stand down.
“It’s doubtful (the Raptors) will be grounded for the entire length of the investigation,” said Air Force spokesman Doug Karas.
“The Air Force will investigate the accident and apply what it learns to improve flight safety of the F/A-22,” Mr. Karas said. “There should not be a long-term impact to the F/A-22 program.”
The Raptor is a priority transformational program and has logged more than 7,000 flight hours. Air Force officials said they plan to purchase about 277 of the aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp.
“I have full confidence in the investigation process and await the results of the accident and safety investigations,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper. “Both investigations are important to determine the cause and prevent future mishaps.”
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You just have to love the optimism!!!, the cause has to be investigated, but it not serious!!!!!.
Mr Karas would make a good used car salesman....Either they have a good idea what the problem was, or they are being a 'wee' bit economical with the truth.
Its always very very hard to explain away a large explosion, and catastrophic failure, avoiding both of these events should be given a reasonably high priority during the design phase:-).
Cheers
Mr Karas would make a good used car salesman....Either they have a good idea what the problem was, or they are being a 'wee' bit economical with the truth.
Its always very very hard to explain away a large explosion, and catastrophic failure, avoiding both of these events should be given a reasonably high priority during the design phase:-).
Cheers
