"Amazing account"
 

This is the best place i can think of for "aviation experts" to help solve this mystery:

Letters to the editor, South China Morning Post (today)

Quote:

"No one knows exactly how the spy-plane incident occurred, and the only witnesses have given different versions of what happened.

One thing keeps bothering me about the American version. The captain tells us the spy plane went out of control, rapidly losing altitude, plunging and almost overturning before he could make a safe landing.

In that case, could any aviation expert explain how all the 24 crew on board the spy plane landed without a scratch on any of them? It appears they made aviation history.

ELSIE TU
Kwun Tong"

Unquote

- It's a toughie for sure :)

They were strapped in?

------------------
...proceeding below Decision Height with CAUTION...

Thank you, AffirmBrest. My reaction, before reading your post was "err, anyone ever heard of a seat belt?" (And I got your tongue in cheek, Squiddley.)

I just wish I could convince all too many of the pax I fly around to leave theirs on at all times when seated. If they have no regard for their own safety, they might spare a thought for the poor sod they might land on.

Taiwan Daily Gazette Reprint

In a heroic dogfight fought over international waters
off the mainland China coast, a 60s era American-built
Lockheed Electra propeller airliner with 24 US Navy
passengers/observers aboard chewed up one of China's
best state-of-the-art supersonic fighter aircraft.

The Americans utilizing the infrequently seen combat
tactic of straight and level flight, often accomplished by
relying solely on autopilot, engaged the unfortunate single
seat combat jet and knocked it out of the air using only
one of its four formidable rotating air mass propellers.

After the action, the crew and passengers/observers
dropped in on China's Hainan Island Resort, for some
much deserved R&R as guests of the Chinese government.

Reprinted from the Taiwan Daily Gazette by staff writer One Wing Lo

NO SURPRISES -

The EP-3 has a set of consoles, equipped with the respective controls, computer screens, etc.

Each station is equipped with standard air crew seat belts, with an SOP for the crew to be strapped in while at their duty station.

The lack of injury only attests to the military discipline, not providential coincidence.

The crew was on prior notice of fighter harrassment, therefore, any lax seatbelt practices would have been inappropriate.

There is no mystery or coincidence involved.

Nice one, GotTheShirt

Is this the same Elsie Tu who was once a supposedly independent but very pro-Beijing Legco (Hong Kong Legislative Council) member?

If so she's just reading the script given to her by her masters so should be ignored - it's the usual sort of posturing that goes on in Hong Kong.

Thought he chinese pilot was aptly named though, "Wong Wei". ;)

Maybe he was not sure of his position either?