MANUALI

a cura di Emanuele Chiodi

Lecture 4

FOREWORD

In no other profession in the world is the health and well-being or misfortune of a member as avidly reported from one to another ….. as among fighter pilots. Far from being a morbid fascination with pain and death, the instinctive search of knowledge for self-preservation dictates an investigation of all facets connected with an esteemed member’s unlucky encounter.

The prime motivation of a fighter pilot is to train and live for that split second of squeezing the trigger that culminates in proving that he is the world’s best.

In order to live until that supreme moment, the possibility of a "pilot error" accident must be tenaciously evaded. A major aspect of the struggle is to gain invaluable pilot experience from the unforeseen pitfalls that our comrades do not escape.

In spite of the unforgiving aspect of flying that occasionaliy causes the loss of one of us, there is always a gain if we learn, if we remember and if we apply the lesson for which someone else has already paid a high price.

In this lecture I have compiled some selected F-104 accidents with my personal comments which are based only on the broad general assumption of what occurred during the accident.If this lecture has the effect of preventing even one accident …. my objective will be achieved.

For the purpose of emphasizing the lessons contained in these accident briefs, I have grouped them into the following categories:

 

1. split flap problems
2. approch and landing accidents
3. mid-air collisions
4. attempted landings on unprepared surfaces
5. ejection after landing vs. remaining in aircraft
6. engine compressor stalls
7. power stuck at full throttle or T2 reset
8. no afterburner operation on attempted takeoff
9. open nozzle failures
10. open canopies during flight
11. nosewheel lift-off during takeoff
12. crosswind landing problems
13. low-level acrobatics
14. pilot disorientation

exceeding aircraft limitations.