Blue Angel Safe Following Mishap [Ejected Safely]

Navy Newsstand ^ | 12/2/2004 | U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Public Affairs

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- A U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angel safely ejected from his F/A-18 Hornet near Perdido Key off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., at approxmimately 2:45 p.m. local time, Dec. 1.

The aircraft, operating from Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., was flying a routine training mission and was approximately 10 miles from the base when the incident occurred.

The pilot is in good condition and is still being evaluated.

The name of the pilot is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

For related news, visit the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/blueangels.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Scary, glad the guy is OK.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Update:

Blue Angel Identified Following Safe Ejection

Story Number: NNS041202-15
Release Date: 12/2/2004 4:06:00 PM

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron pilot who safely ejected from his F/A-18 Hornet near Perdido Key in the Gulf of Mexico Dec. 1 has been identified by the Blue Angels.

Lt. Ted Steelman, 32, from Star, Idaho, was flying an unnumbered Blue Angel jet on a routine, hour-long training mission when the incident occurred. Steelman is the team’s opposing solo, and flies the Number Six jet during the demonstration.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

A second Hornet, flown by Lt. Cmdr. Craig Olson, 35, from Kirkland, Wash., was flying with Steelman approximately 10 miles from Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., when the incident occurred. The ejection happened approximately 15 minutes into their flight.

After Steelman’s parachute opened, Olson circled overhead, directing rescue crews to his downed wingman’s position. Olson landed safely at NAS Pensacola after Steelman had been recovered.

Steelman was recovered by an NAS Pensacola search and rescue (SAR) helicopter, and was airlifted directly to Naval Medical Center Pensacola. He arrived in very good condition approximately a half-hour after ejecting. He was evaluated and treated for exposure to the mid-60 degree water, and released at approximately 7 p.m. local time Dec. 1.

The H-3 rescue helicopter was piloted by Lt. Matt Cristo and co-piloted by Lt. Scott Wilkerson. Also aboard were crew chief Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Peter Nolan and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Michael Turner. Steelman was picked up by rescue swimmer Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Tommy Henderson.

A 225-foot U.S. Coast Guard buoy tender, USCGC Cypress, is patrolling the crash site to pick up floating debris and to keep the area secure for investigators.

The aircraft has been declared a total loss, and the Navy is evaluating different recovery options.

For safety reasons, anyone who may find debris is asked not to handle it. Instead, they should report its location to the NAS Pensacola base police at (850) 452-3453. If material is found at sea, they should contact the Coast Guard at (850) 453-8282.

For related news, visit the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/blueangels.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping

[Terabitten]

Naval aviation ping.

[Yo-Yo]

Happened to the Thunderbirds in 2003

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

If he'd pulled that handle literally a second later, he wouldn't have made it (the official accident report states that he ejected 0.8 seconds before hitting the ground). I bet that gives you a new attitude adjustment.

[Yo-Yo]

Not as bad of an attitude ajustment as when the entire team flew the diamond formation straight into the Nevada desert in 1982

[berkeleybeej]

There were a number of references to "the incident", but no where does it say what "the incident" was....loss of power, bouncing off the other plane, flying upside??? Any ideas?

[Ichneumon]

I bet that gives you a new attitude adjustment.

...and I'll bet he never again forgets his *altitude* adjustment, since that's what caused the crash that day.

[NonValueAdded]

Sounds more like an altitude adjustment was needed. :)

[Joe Hadenuf]

Whoops, there goes another 20 million or so dollars....

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I haven't seen any references to a cause, either. I'm doubting engine failure because the F-18 could have made it back on one engine. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Pukin Dog]

Hornet engine failures almost always take out both engines. Because of their close placement, when one section goes, it usually sprays debris into the other, causing both to die. There are no hydraulics to worry about since the Hornet is FBW, so engines are the usual culprit.

[ThePythonicCow]

I had a roommate in the Air Force who was flying the back seat of an F-4 Phantom back in 1972. It started to roll out of control, while landing. The pilot muttered a cuss word or two. The plane was on its side, continuing to roll upside down, a few hundred feet above the Tampa Bay waters. The Nav punched out, followed by the Pilot. The Pilot got a half-swing on his chute before hitting the water and breaking one leg - simple fracture.

The Nav has to go first -- if he went second, he'd risk pile driving his head into the bottom of the Pilot's seat.

They court martialled the Nav - because he didn't ask the Pilot for permission to leave. They managed after dorking around for a bit to find some excuse to drop the charges. The Nav did after all save the Pilot's life by not taking the extra second or two to follow procedures.