Highs and Lows (Major Bummed Out)

Yes, and the investigation of that accident found that the lead plane had an elevator problem that did not allow him to pull all the way back. His loop was too far open and he flew into the desert floor. His wingmen dutifully followed their leader and they all perished. That was a tough one indeed. Jeff

< Karl wrote:...

Here is the version I recall:

n 1982, there was another disaster for the Thunderbirds, occurring during pre-season training on January 18. While practicing the 4 plane diamond loop, the formation impacted the ground at high speed, instantly killing all four pilots: Major Norm Lowry, leader, Captain Willie Mays, Captain Pete Peterson and Captain Mark Melancon. The cause of the crash was officially listed by the USAF as the result of a mechanical problem with the #1 aircraft's control stick actuator. Despite the fact that the accident investigative board had not uncovered any evidence to support this theory, there was heavy pressure from the pilots' families and top Air Force officials to arrive at this conclusion. During formation flight, the wing and slot pilots visually cue off of the #1 lead aircraft, completely disregarding their positions in relation to the ground. In this accident, this is the root cause for all four aircraft impacting the terrain, not just the lead jet with the problem.

Many in the fighter community felt that the cause was most likely a result of the lead pilot's error due to a simple miscalculation, the equivalent of controlled flight into terrain.

Jeff Rice wrote:

Yep...Pretty much what I said.....without the speculation added. I remember that one, and followed it pretty close. Jeff

"John Poulos" wrote...

I know, but you made me google it to refresh my memory since I recalled the speculation. Here's more info:

From: snipped-for-privacy@rmii.com (Ed Rasimus) Newsgroups: rec.aviation.military Subject: Re: diamond crash Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 14:32:45 GMT

"When the report was submitted, General Creech returned it and reconvened the board with the statement that "Thunderbirds do not commit pilot errors." Command guidance was to come up with another cause.

That was when the "shock absorber" was invented as the culprit. What made the report a laughingstock for T-38 pilots (although acceptable to Gen. Creech and the general public) was the fact that with 160 AT-38B aircraft on the ramp at Holloman, with at least 1000 maintainers and more than 200 Talon IPs on the base and with more than

20 years experience operating the airplane for the USAF, no one had ever before heard of the "shock absorber" and no one could find any reference to such a gadget in the control system schematics."

I've read the two military newsgroups on and off for years and you can pretty much bank on what Ed Rasimus says as fact.

Lee