CF-18 Crash
 

We lost a CF-18 today down in Lethbridge as it practiced for a upcoming air show. Fortunately, the pilot appears to be okay. Sorry, not sure how to link to the video but it's easy to see and click on.


http://www.vancouversun.com/news/fig....html?tab=PHOT

Quite the spectacular crash :o I wonder why he was so keen on flying this close to stall and this low. When you pull that, any sudden gust of wind can really ruin your day.

Good to hear he's fine! Those zero-zero seats can indeed do wonders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSzk7lDY1iw

What caused the crash? Pilot or technical error?

Looks to me like he tried to go real slow and went over the maximum angle of attack.:-?
Let's wait for what the investigation will turn up.

That maneuver, a slow high AOA fly-by, is perfectly normal for F-18s in airshows from what I've seen. Judging by the vid and the onlooker interviews it looks like the right engine just failed at a really bad time, leading to a stall. Maybe a bird ingestion or something as the onlookers reported "sparks flying out of the engine"? Good thing everyone got off more or less uninjured.

Some guy in the comments section pointed out the difference in exhaust nozzles . Portside configured for slow flying and starboardside configured for fast flying. I take it that confirms some type of engine problem? Curious as to how big a bird it would have to be to cause this if that happened to be the case?


http://www.vancouversun.com/news/331...n?size=620x400

Could well be the case but he's one lucky fella all the same :o