ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 153038
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| Date: | Monday 23 February 1987 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  General Dynamics F-111F |
| Owner/operator: | 492th TFSqn /48Tth FWg USAF |
| Registration: | 70-2418 |
| MSN: | E2-58/F-58 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Newmarket Heath, Suffolk -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL) |
| RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk (LKZ/EGUL) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On February 28, 1987, Scott Lewis was flying a United States Air Force F-111F s/n 70-2418 over Newmarket Heath, Suffolk, England. When the plane malfunctioned, he initiated ejection of the self-contained crew module. The crew module is designed so that once the pilot initiates ejection, all subsequent operations until landing occur automatically. After the module separates from the aircraft, a parachute system deploys, and large bags on the bottom of the module cushion the landing.
In this case, however, the forward re-positioning cable, one of two cables that connect the parachute to the module, severed, causing the module to land at an incorrect angle without adequate cushioning. Lewis sustained spinal injuries, and was limited to flying larger aircraft afterward.
Upon ejection, the rocket motor for the capsule ignited the forward fuel cell. The cause was determined to be a miss-identification of a slab-split by the pilot as a flight control malfunction. There was no malfunction. His fingertip formation position was impacted by the leader's wingtip vortices -- the damper system correctly split the slabs to counteract a left roll.
This narrative is incorrect. The cause of the accident was by a Horizontal Tail Servo Actuator control valve galled resulting in an out of control situation and not the fault of the pilot. Dick Downtown Brown F-111's 4650 hours plus I was at Lakenheath at the time
Sources:
http://web.archive.org/web/20170921070650/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/Aircraft_by_Type/F_111/F-111.htm
https://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?98892-F111-crash-Selkirk-Scotland
http://www.f-111.net/t_no_F.htm
http://www.f-111.net/t_no_F_files/418_fire.gif
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1970.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 03-Feb-2013 14:57 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 03-Feb-2013 18:02 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Mar-2017 10:29 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Jul-2018 09:16 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Jul-2018 09:17 | harro | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Apr-2020 08:52 | Reno Raines | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 18-Jun-2020 17:16 | Anon. | Updated [Date] |
| 14-Dec-2021 07:20 | downtown | Updated [Narrative] |
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