Mid-air at Mountain Home AFB Today
- Thread starter dkryan
- Start date
Yikes! I don't know tons about the Growler mission except that it often involves low level insertion, i.e. "sneaking" into contested airspace in order to jam radar and perform electronic countermeasures. Dangerous stuff and what looks to be highly technical flying. We had a Growler crash in the mountains during training here in Washington recently.
As can be seen on the video, it appears one Growler was above and behind the second Growler as it descended.
And I am guessing the second (lower) Growler was in the “blind spot” of the higher aircraft, hence the collision.
That’s not an excuse, what with “see and be seen,” situational awareness, and knowing where your wingman (or leader) is positionally.
And I am guessing the second (lower) Growler was in the “blind spot” of the higher aircraft, hence the collision.
That’s not an excuse, what with “see and be seen,” situational awareness, and knowing where your wingman (or leader) is positionally.
That's going to be expensive.
For someone’s career……….
$145 million.
So So lucky both plane's canopy's were open and free. Thank God they made it out.
So So lucky both plane's canopy's were open and free. Thank God they made it out.
My daughter sent me this video. I was initially convinced it was AI because of the unusual collision with little observed damage, no airborne fireball, and the aircraft remaining entangled during ejection and crash. I was suprised to find it was real.
There are an inordinate number of airshow crashes. I'm convinced it's because tactically trained aircrews are doing something something much less difficult than a normal training mission, it's outside their normal wheelhouse, and they let their guard down. Normal standard procedures that would prevent the accident are not in place. The above doesn't apply to professional show pilots like the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels.
There are an inordinate number of airshow crashes. I'm convinced it's because tactically trained aircrews are doing something something much less difficult than a normal training mission, it's outside their normal wheelhouse, and they let their guard down. Normal standard procedures that would prevent the accident are not in place. The above doesn't apply to professional show pilots like the Thunderbirds or Blue Angels.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
It replaced my beloved EA-6B. They fly a racecourse circuit at altitude so the jammer pods have visibilty. At low altitude they can't jam.
I've been buzzed by an EA-6B twice in my life. Awesome! Once was while I was up on a roof near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. It was low and slow enough to make make eye contact with the pilot. Another time it was as I was starting onto the bridge over the Columbia River and the E-6 was flying super low and fast going down the river. It startled me so bad!
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Old Whidbey. LOL. They roll up the streets at 8PM. Pretty area though. And lots of Salmon dishes. Not much for Chinese or Pizza, but good Salmon burgers. Anacortes has some really nice restaurants that don't close early.
I’ve heard some former pilots saying that they hated flying in formation because it required concentration to keep themselves from colliding into each other.
There is always a risk associated with close formation flying, even for crews as well trained and skilled as these guys were.
Airshow accidents are sometimes fatal, including for spectators watching.
Good that these crews were able to eject safely and that the aircraft impacted well away from the crowd.
Airshow accidents are sometimes fatal, including for spectators watching.
Good that these crews were able to eject safely and that the aircraft impacted well away from the crowd.
That was really scary because of how low they ejected, they all ejected sideways, and that it appeared pretty close to landing in a flaming wreckage. I don't think those were parachutes that could be guided. But I'm also hearing that they landed reasonably far away so maybe it was a matter of an inadequate perspective to see how close they were to the wreckage.
Better video, showing events leading up to the collision, show the wingman dropping back, and inside the lead, and, apparently, losing sight of the lead under his nose.
Formation isn’t easy, but losing sight of the lead demands an evasive maneuver, not an attempt to get back in position.
Formation isn’t easy, but losing sight of the lead demands an evasive maneuver, not an attempt to get back in position.
An informative video below:
Juan is irritated
He does bring up a few points.
Why would we be using those particular planes instead of just a run of the mill F18. Seems silly to risk a specialized plane like that.
He does bring up a few points.
Why would we be using those particular planes instead of just a run of the mill F18. Seems silly to risk a specialized plane like that.
A friend of mine, who was an F-18 pilot, was killed when ejecting from his plane. His wife was told he was on a night desert flight, lost all instrumentation and did not realize he was pointed in a downward angle when he had to eject. He hit one of the tails on the F-18 and it was over.
Those pilots were very lucky.
I didn't know this about Martin Baker. Pretty cool if you survive an ejection in one of their seats.
