[Tennessee_Bob]

Accidents are almost never a case of soldiers showing off.

Tell that to the B-52 crew that died in the pre-show practice. Their pilot had a nasty reputation for showing off, had been reprimanded for it, but never punished for it. Then he winged the jet over, and dropped it into a power substation, killing everyone on board.

[Pukin Dog]

I was about to use that example, along with a couple of Tomcat incidents.

[gregwest]

I don't disagree that the pilot showed poor judgment, but I wonder about the "show" in which he was getting ready to perform.

Air shows and demonstrations are hardly a necessity. The services have them to entertain big brass, impress civilian leaders, and to build enthusiam that benefits recruiters. They are frequently the sites of major disasters and crashes. I gave up attending them after that big one in Germany back in the 80s where the stunt planes crashed and pieces of them were hurled into the crowd.

It seems a stupid thing to have pilots "perform" in a war zone to impress the Generals. Although I find the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds as amazing as anyone else, I can't see the sense in these guys risking their lives to put on a show.

GW

[AndrewC]

Then he winged the jet over, and dropped it into a power substation, killing everyone on board.

All that you said was true, however when he killed everyone on board he was preparing for a performance scheduled and authorized by the command. He was allowed to fly but had some of superiors on board to watch him. You can read an analysis to find out why.

Darker Shades of Blue: A Case Study of Failed Leadership

Killed in the crash were Lt Col Arthur "Bud" Holland, the Chief of the 92d Bomb Wing Standardization and Evaluation branch. Lt Col Holland, an instructor pilot, was designated as the aircraft commander and was undoubtedly flying the aircraft at the time of the accident. 4 The copilot was Lt Col Mark McGeehan, also an instructor pilot and the 325th Bomb Squadron (BMS) Commander. There is a great deal of evidence that suggests considerable animosity existed between the two pilots who were at the controls of Czar 52..

This was a result of Lt Col McGeehan's unsuccessful efforts to have Bud Holland "grounded" for what he perceived as numerous and flagrant violations of air discipline while flying with 325th BMS aircrews. Colonel Robert Wolff was the Vice Wing Commander and was added to the flying schedule as a safety observer by Col Brooks, the Wing Commander, on the morning of the mishap. This was to be Col Wolff's "fini flight," an Air Force tradition where an aviator is hosed down following his last flight in an aircraft. Upon landing, Col Wolff was to be met on the flightline by his wife and friends for a champagne toast to a successful flying career. The radar navigator position was filled by Lt Col Ken Huston, the 325th BMS Operations Officer.

That blue speck near the tail is the doomed copilots hatch flying away too late for safe ejection.

Let me add that to successfully penetrate bad guy country with a B-52(flying aluminum mountain), it is necessary to fly as low as you can.