A lesson on pressing buttons...

Platapus · 11-07-09, 02:48 PM

Reminds me of when we lost an ROTC cadet at Hill AFB in 81/82.

She was on an incentive ride on a T-38. As part of the orientation she was told not to leave the aircraft until the pilot-in-command tells her to.

After the successful incentive ride, the Talon was on the flight line, chocked, engines off and canopies raised. The PIC told the cadet "ok, egress the aircraft"

She reached to the calf protectors and initiated the ejection seat. Fortunately, the ground crew only suffered minor burns but probably had to change his fatigues!

The original ejection seat on the T-38 did not have a zero/zero capability.

There was now a vacancy in her ROTC class.

Unlike the guy in the referenced article, this T-38 was not flying but sitting on the ground. No stresses, no movement that could justify her initiating the seat.

In her defense, the initiating action for the Northrup seat was not well designed and was vulnerable for inadvertent initiation if you were not very familiar and careful with the seat.

Like many aspects of military aircraft, you only get to make one mistake with an ejection seat.

11-07-09, 02:48 PM	#6
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,373 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	Reminds me of when we lost an ROTC cadet at Hill AFB in 81/82. She was on an incentive ride on a T-38. As part of the orientation she was told not to leave the aircraft until the pilot-in-command tells her to. After the successful incentive ride, the Talon was on the flight line, chocked, engines off and canopies raised. The PIC told the cadet "ok, egress the aircraft" She reached to the calf protectors and initiated the ejection seat. Fortunately, the ground crew only suffered minor burns but probably had to change his fatigues! The original ejection seat on the T-38 did not have a zero/zero capability. There was now a vacancy in her ROTC class. Unlike the guy in the referenced article, this T-38 was not flying but sitting on the ground. No stresses, no movement that could justify her initiating the seat. In her defense, the initiating action for the Northrup seat was not well designed and was vulnerable for inadvertent initiation if you were not very familiar and careful with the seat. Like many aspects of military aircraft, you only get to make one mistake with an ejection seat. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.