[Vision2020] Fw: Mid-air collision of F-15D and A-4N

Fri Jul 7 13:10:43 PDT 2006

My dad forward this first-hand recorded account of a mid-air collision and
its aftermath (complete with photos) that was forwarded to him.

Those of you who have served on aircraft carriers would have a more thorough
understanding of what transpired than us ground pounders.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
and steady dedication of a lifetime." 

--Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.

----------------------------------------------------------------

A simulated dogfight training took place between two F-15D's and four
A-4N Skyhawks over the skies of the Negev,Israel... "At some point I
collided with one of the Skyhawks, at first I didn't realize it. I felt a
big strike, and I thought we passed through the jet stream of one of the
other aircraft.

Before I could react, I saw the big fireball created by the explosion of
the Skyhawk. The radio started to deliver calls saying that the Skyhawk
pilot has ejected, and I understood that the fireball was the Skyhawk that
exploded, and the pilot was ejected automatically. There was a tremendous
fuel stream going out of my wing, and I understood it was badly damaged.
The aircraft flew without control in a strange spiral. I reconnected the
electric control to the control surfaces, and slowly gained control of
the aircraft until I was straight and level again. It was clear to me that I
had to eject. When I gained control I said: "Hey, wait, don't eject yet!" No
warning light was on and the navigation computer worked as usual; (I just
needed a warning light in my panel to indicate that I missed a wing...),"

My instructor pilot ordered me to eject. The wing is a fuel tank, and the
Fuel indicator showed 0.000 so I assumed that the jet stream sucked all the
Fuel out of the other tanks. However, I remembered that the valves operate
only in one direction, so that I might have enough fuel to get to the
nearest airfield and land. I worked like a machine, I wasn't scared and
didn't worry. All I knew was as long as the sucker flies, I'm gonna stay
inside.

I started to decrease the airspeed, but at that point one wing was not
enough.  So I went into a spin down and to the right. A second before I
decided to eject, I pushed the throttle and lit the afterburner. I gained
speed and thus got control of the aircraft again. Next thing I did was lower
the arresting hook. A few seconds later I touched the runway at 260 knots,
about twice the recommended speed, and called the tower to erect the
emergency recovery net. The hook was torn away from the fuselage because of
the high speed, but I managed to stop 10 meters before the net. I turned
back to shake the hand of my instructor, who had urged me to eject, and then
I saw it for the first time - no wing!"

This is definitely a testament to modern combat aircraft design. I figure
the fuselage acting as an airfoil, a high thrust to weight ratio and two
engines (differential thrust) helped in this impressive feat.

" IN GOD WE TRUST "
JOHN
----- End forwarded message -----
-------------- next part --------------

Date: 06/30/06 07:03:58

A simulated dogfight training took place between two F-15D's and four
A-4N
Skyhawks over the skies of the Negev,Israel... "At some point I collided
with one of the Skyhawks, at first I didn't realize it. I felt a big
strike,
and I thought we passed through the jet stream of one of the other
aircraft.
Before I could react, I saw the big fireball created by the explosion of
the
Skyhawk. The radio started to deliver calls saying that the Skyhawk pilot
has ejected, and I understood that the fireball was the Skyhawk that
exploded, and the pilot was ejected automatically. There was a tremendous
fuel stream going out of my wing, and I understood it was badly damaged.
The
aircraft flew without control in a strange spiral. I reconnected the
electric control to the control surfaces, and slowly gained control of
the
aircraft until I was straight and level again. It was clear to me that I
had
to eject. When I gained control I said: "Hey, wait, don't eject yet!" No
warning light was on and the navigation computer worked as usual; (I just
needed a warning light in my panel to indicate that I missed a wing...),"
My
instructor pilot ordered me to eject. The wing is a fuel tank, and the
fuel
indicator showed 0.000 so I assumed that the jet stream sucked all the
fuel
out of the other tanks. However, I remembered that the valves operate
only
in one direction, so that I might have enough fuel to get to the nearest
airfield and land. I worked like a machine, I wasn't scared and didn't
worry. All I knew was as long as the sucker flies, I'm gonna stay inside.
I
started to decrease the airspeed, but at that point one wing was not
enough
So I went into a spin down and to the right. A second before I decided to
eject, I pushed the throttle and lit the afterburner. I gained speed and
thus got control of the aircraft again. Next thing I did was lower the
arresting hook. A few seconds later I touched the runway at 260 knots,
about
twice the recommended speed, and called the tower to erect the emergency
recovery net. The hook was torn away from the fuselage because of the
high
speed, but I managed to stop 10 meters before the net. I turned back to
shake the hand of my instructor, who had urged me to eject, and then I
saw
it for the first time - no wing!"

This is definitely a testament to modern combat aircraft design. I figure
the fuselage acting as an airfoil, a high thrust to weight ratio and two
engines (differential thrust) helped in this impressive feat.

" IN GOD WE TRUST "
JOHN 
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