Gripens Grounded after Undemanded Ejection
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From: Peripatetic
Gripens Grounded after Undemanded Ejection
DefenseNews: Gripen Grounded Pending Crash Investigation
The crash of a JAS Gripen fighter in northern Sweden has resulted in the grounding of C and D versions of the aircraft by the Swedish, Czech and Hungarian air forces pending a full investigation by the Swedish Accident Investigation Board (SAIB).
The fighter, from the Swedish Air Force’s Airwing F21 unit at Lule, was taking part in air exercises when it crashed at the Vidsel airfield after the pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute. However, preliminary findings by SAIB indicate that the pilot did not initiate emergency ejection. SAIB’s initial inquiry will seek to determine if a possible malfunction triggered ejection or if the pilot touched the ejection trigger by mistake.
The Gripen’s crash-proof black-box memory units have been recovered intact. Saab, the fighter’s manufacturer, is cooperating with SAIB in the inquiry.A SAIB spokesman said that the “core reason for the crash” was not immediately clear.
According to SAIB, the Gripen was heading for the Vidsel air base, located west of Lule and inside the Arctic Circle, when it crashed at 3:42 p.m.
The Gripen Type-C is a NATO-compatible version of Gripen with extended armament and electronics capabilities, while the Type-D is a two-seat version of the C variant.
The April 19 incident brings to five the number of Gripens that have crashed since test flights began in the late 1980s, including two crashes prior to delivery to the Swedish Air Force.
• Feb. 2, 1989: The first Gripen prototype crashed on its sixth flight when landing at Linköping air base. A SAIB inquiry found that the cause was pilot-induced oscillation.
• Aug. 8, 1993: A crash on the central Stockholm island of Longholmen also was attributed to pilot-induced oscillation.
• Sept. 20, 1999: A Gripen from Airwing F7, based at Sotenäs, crashed into Lake Vänern during a “dog-fight” exercise. The aircraft abruptly changed course after passing through the wake vortex of the other dog fight plane. The pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute.
• June 1, 2005: A Gripen from Airwing F17, based at Kallinge air base, malfunctioned, forcing the pilot to eject. A SAIBinquiry is still ongoing. The pilot’s report claimed the aircraft’s computer “refused to obey commands.”
The crash of a JAS Gripen fighter in northern Sweden has resulted in the grounding of C and D versions of the aircraft by the Swedish, Czech and Hungarian air forces pending a full investigation by the Swedish Accident Investigation Board (SAIB).
The fighter, from the Swedish Air Force’s Airwing F21 unit at Lule, was taking part in air exercises when it crashed at the Vidsel airfield after the pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute. However, preliminary findings by SAIB indicate that the pilot did not initiate emergency ejection. SAIB’s initial inquiry will seek to determine if a possible malfunction triggered ejection or if the pilot touched the ejection trigger by mistake.
The Gripen’s crash-proof black-box memory units have been recovered intact. Saab, the fighter’s manufacturer, is cooperating with SAIB in the inquiry.A SAIB spokesman said that the “core reason for the crash” was not immediately clear.
According to SAIB, the Gripen was heading for the Vidsel air base, located west of Lule and inside the Arctic Circle, when it crashed at 3:42 p.m.
The Gripen Type-C is a NATO-compatible version of Gripen with extended armament and electronics capabilities, while the Type-D is a two-seat version of the C variant.
The April 19 incident brings to five the number of Gripens that have crashed since test flights began in the late 1980s, including two crashes prior to delivery to the Swedish Air Force.
• Feb. 2, 1989: The first Gripen prototype crashed on its sixth flight when landing at Linköping air base. A SAIB inquiry found that the cause was pilot-induced oscillation.
• Aug. 8, 1993: A crash on the central Stockholm island of Longholmen also was attributed to pilot-induced oscillation.
• Sept. 20, 1999: A Gripen from Airwing F7, based at Sotenäs, crashed into Lake Vänern during a “dog-fight” exercise. The aircraft abruptly changed course after passing through the wake vortex of the other dog fight plane. The pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute.
• June 1, 2005: A Gripen from Airwing F17, based at Kallinge air base, malfunctioned, forcing the pilot to eject. A SAIBinquiry is still ongoing. The pilot’s report claimed the aircraft’s computer “refused to obey commands.”
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Magnetogorsk
Top Gun Jet Ace Plane Crash Death Dive Horror Tragedy
Five crashes in 20 years (more or less) sounds remarkably good to me...with all four pilots alive and well.
Four, because Lars Radestrom dropped the first two jets. To loose one is unfortunate...
And Lulea, not Lule.
VC
(No mooses were harmed in the crashing of this aeroplane)
Four, because Lars Radestrom dropped the first two jets. To loose one is unfortunate...
And Lulea, not Lule.
VC
(No mooses were harmed in the crashing of this aeroplane)
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: EU
JAS 39 Gripen Crash in northern Sweden
Today according to the Swedish media the JAS 39 Gripen crash in Northern Sweden earlier this week was caused by the G-Suit somehow caused the ejection handle to eject the pilot. The suit somehow actuated the ejection handle causing the ejection...
I've worked for a year with the JAS 39 Gripen and the Martin Baker seat and I cant understand how that would be possible?
I've worked for a year with the JAS 39 Gripen and the Martin Baker seat and I cant understand how that would be possible?
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 64
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From: UK
The crash of a JAS Gripen fighter in northern Sweden has resulted in the grounding of C and D versions of the aircraft by the Swedish, Czech and Hungarian air forces pending a full investigation by the Swedish Accident Investigation Board (SAIB).
The fighter, from the Swedish Air Force’s Airwing F21 unit at Lule, was taking part in air exercises when it crashed at the Vidsel airfield after the pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute. However, preliminary findings by SAIB indicate that the pilot did not initiate emergency ejection. SAIB’s initial inquiry will seek to determine if a possible malfunction triggered ejection or if the pilot touched the ejection trigger by mistake.
Emergency ejection?
Is there any other kind?
The fighter, from the Swedish Air Force’s Airwing F21 unit at Lule, was taking part in air exercises when it crashed at the Vidsel airfield after the pilot ejected and landed safely by parachute. However, preliminary findings by SAIB indicate that the pilot did not initiate emergency ejection. SAIB’s initial inquiry will seek to determine if a possible malfunction triggered ejection or if the pilot touched the ejection trigger by mistake.
Emergency ejection?
Is there any other kind?
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
Yes, a "routine' ejection is a planned one... like with the various ejection test-bed aircraft designed for ejections to be performed in-flight with the aircraft flown to a safe landing by either a pilot in another cockpit or by remote control.
Another example would be if the pilot decided to deliberately crash a properly functioning aircraft for a specific reason, and did not wish to go with it, so he pre-plans when and where he will eject.
Another example would be if the pilot decided to deliberately crash a properly functioning aircraft for a specific reason, and did not wish to go with it, so he pre-plans when and where he will eject.
Joined: Nov 2006
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
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From: Chippenham, Wilts
Another example would be if the pilot decided to deliberately crash a properly functioning aircraft for a specific reason, and did not wish to go with it, so he pre-plans when and where he will eject.
This is clearly what AOC 1 Gp had in mind at his recent, controversial, briefing to the CQWI course!
3P
This is clearly what AOC 1 Gp had in mind at his recent, controversial, briefing to the CQWI course!
3P
Joined: Oct 2001
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From: UK
Another example would be if the pilot decided to deliberately crash a properly functioning aircraft for a specific reason, and did not wish to go with it, so he pre-plans when and where he will eject.
There's no answer to that...
There's no answer to that...
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From: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
Pre-plan: to come up with your plan before the events start (before take-off).
Interim plan: a plan developed after the event begins (after take-off).
Last-minute plan: a plan developed just before it has to be implemented (just before the go/no-go point).
No-plan: instinctive/trained reaction to an event that catches you by surprise (emergency action).
Interim plan: a plan developed after the event begins (after take-off).
Last-minute plan: a plan developed just before it has to be implemented (just before the go/no-go point).
No-plan: instinctive/trained reaction to an event that catches you by surprise (emergency action).
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Hampshire
auto ejection
I've just seen this post,
http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/24.73.html#subj9.2
Is it true that the ejector seat fire if the system thinks the air craft is a lost cause?
http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/24.73.html#subj9.2
Little chance of the inflation of a G-suit, or G-force alone, causing
unintentional operation in that case. (I don't know if this applied to
specifically to the Gripen.)
With aerodynamically unstable aircraft, the situation is different. If the
FCS goes down, the aircraft might break up within half a second or so,
depending on the airspeed and attitude, and I was given to understand that
ejection would be automatic, i.e., initiated without manual input from the
pilot.
unintentional operation in that case. (I don't know if this applied to
specifically to the Gripen.)
With aerodynamically unstable aircraft, the situation is different. If the
FCS goes down, the aircraft might break up within half a second or so,
depending on the airspeed and attitude, and I was given to understand that
ejection would be automatic, i.e., initiated without manual input from the
pilot.
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,771
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From: West Sussex
" is it true that ejection seats fire if it's decided the aircraft is a lost cause ? "
Just think of the money & time that could have been saved if that system was available earlier - a mod' programme might enable pre-dating the actual build of the lost cause -
Insert aircraft of one's choice here-...
Just think of the money & time that could have been saved if that system was available earlier - a mod' programme might enable pre-dating the actual build of the lost cause -
Insert aircraft of one's choice here-...