Video: Hornet Bursts Into Flame Landing On Carrier

[Feuer Frei!]

The U.S. Navy just released this video of an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 113 experiencing an engine fire following a touch-and-go landing aboard U.S.S. Carl Vinson (CVN 70) on April 11.
The pilot executed a single-engine approach and land. Upon landing, the fuselage was engulfed in flames. The ship’s crash and salvage team, assigned to Air Department’s V-1 Division, responded immediately with a P-25 mobile fire fighting vehicle and the flight deck emergency hose team. Crews extinguished the fire with aqueous film forming foam. No one was injured.

Wouldn't it have been better to go the rear of the aircraft so that they could get at the source of the fire better?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

Wouldn't it have been better to go the rear of the aircraft so that they could get at the source of the fire better?

Looks like they aimed the first spray towards the intake.

[Jimbuna]

I'm anything but an expert on these topics but I thought they were a little slow in responding....if the bird had been carrying live ordnance nmight it have blown up or would the pilot of ditched it seeing as how he wasn't coming in to land under 'normal' circumstances?

[papa_smurf]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I'm anything but an expert on these topics but I thought they were a little slow in responding....if the bird had been carrying live ordnance nmight it have blown up or would the pilot of ditched it seeing as how he wasn't coming in to land under 'normal' circumstances?

My thoughts exactly.

[AVGWarhawk]

I thought the same Jim. But after mulling it over the plane landed and seemed ok then burst into flames. But, don't the firemen stand by on deck for such incidents?

[Oberon]

Perhaps after the Forrestal incident they hang back for a short period to make sure that if anything is going to cook off, it cooks off whilst they're clear of it? Again, I'm no expert either, just a random possibility I thought of.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

I thought the same Jim. But after mulling it over the plane landed and seemed ok then burst into flames. But, don't the firemen stand by on deck for such incidents?

Off to the side, and nominally in some form of shelter; just like full-runway landing strips, there's a safety factor for those guys already on the deck/ground - pilots can absolutely "bolter" and miss the arresting gear, or blow a tire, or any other number of things can go wrong at landing. There's going to be some response time no matter what, even on the deck of a carrier.

You may also notice the burning fuel running down the deck under the aircraft; start fighting the fire at the cockpit and work aft, allowing the fire crews to both A: increase the pilot's survival chances and B: extinguish the fire from it's furthest extent and work back to its source. And ultimately, if the fire crew is "out of position" for an optimal fire-fighting solution, better to get hoses on the fire as soon as you can and start combating the blaze rather than letting it burn while you try for a better position.