Report on Snowbird Report on CBC

[GDR]

This whole episode is so sad. No mention in this story about the upgrading of the ejection seats in the Tutor.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/snowbird-crash-bird-1.5968000

[Kip Powick]

Don't put too much faith in the CBC "report"

The final report said MacDougall and Casey, originally from Nova Scotia, were ejected from the aircraft "at low altitude.............................

...were ejected....We all know that is not true and you would think the Press would post a photo, out of respect, of the young man wearing the proper rank. That photo was probably dug up the day he joined as one of the demo team's  co-coordinators.

[Airband]

Quote

'It is also recommended that the practice of storing items between the ejection seat and the airframe wall cease immediately.'

CT114161 Tutor - Epilogue

[Dave Buggie]

A  question for single engine jet ex-military, if you have old checklists lying around, do you have one that states "EJECT EJECT EJECT" as a memory item? Looked at mine upon prompting from my son......I now owe him a beer.

Kip, the photo in the CBC  article I saw had the correct rank.

 

[Kip Powick]

8 minutes ago, Dave Buggie said:

Kip, the photo in the CBC  article I saw had the correct rank.

 

You are correct Dave, guilty of color disorientation

...good eye 

[Rich Pulman]

6 hours ago, Dave Buggie said:

A  question for single engine jet ex-military, if you have old checklists lying around, do you have one that states "EJECT EJECT EJECT" as a memory item? 

No, but when briefing a passenger it was made quite clear that we would say “EJECT, EJECT, EJECT” if it became necessary to abandon the aircraft and that we’d be pulling our own handles on the second “EJECT”. Of course, in the T-33, the back seat ALWAYS fired before the front seat, even if its safety pins were still in. The Tutor does not have command ejection; each occupant must initiate their own ejection sequence.

Pictures attached for the curious.

[Kip Powick]

Told my students  I would yell "EJECT" 3 times..

The first time would be my voice, the next two would be echoes.

r

[Dave Buggie]

"EJECT EJECT EJECT" an oral folklore that every military pilot who flew bang seat aircraft was either briefed on or briefed a fellow crewmember/pax on but is very seldom documented in check lists. On aircraft without command ejection I briefed and was briefed that the other crewmember/pax would eject on the first "EJECT" and the PF would go on the third "EJECT" (although he/she might rush it a bit).

I know of at least 4.....FOUR!!!  Canadian two seat ejections where this protocol was not followed, there are rumored to be more. In at least two of the verifiable cases the crewmember/pax became the Aircraft Captain for a short period of time because of confusion!

In your T-Bird checklist Rich it should have been simple for it to state ....Command ejection by stating "EJECT EJECT EJECT".  Instead of allowing the option of stating "Excuse me but if you have finished tidying up your work area would you please abandon the aircraft as you didn't sign it out".  Anal, but I know of one life lost and I suspect others have been lost because what was briefed on ejection procedures was not followed when the s$%t hit the proverbial fan.

Word fragments that are forever carved into my mind "GET O>AH DON'T DON'T ......ah fck" a micro second of confusion that perhaps avoided swatting mosquitoes overnight in NL but also could have had dire consequences. Thus, my interest when this sort of incident may continue to happen.

Aw....why can't humans get the simple stuff right.

To close with a bit of humour:

An USAF backseater statement to the board; "I thought he was kidding until he left me all fckn alone"

 

 

 

 

[Rich Pulman]

Interesting stuff Dave. I’m reminded of a scene from the movie “A few good men” when the lawyer (played by Tom Cruise) hands a book (presumably the base Standing Orders) to the witness being cross examined and asks him to look up the section indicating where the mess hall can be found. Of course, it’s not in there, but everyone knows where to get their meals.

We were taught from day one to use “EJECT, EJECT, EJECT” when it was time to depart the aircraft. I suppose everyone considers it to be ingrained in our thick skulls, perhaps even reflexive (as it should be). Your point that it should be written down somewhere is certainly valid. Perhaps it is written somewhere, but I don’t have much reference material left, and what I do have is all out of date anyway. Having it in the red pages may also be constructive for an on-the-ground review, however, we were always supposed to have those memorized as they were deemed “immediate action” checklists. Besides, in a low-level ejection, there isn’t enough time to refer to the checklist. I know you know all this, but some others might be interested in the minutiae. I’m just glad I never had to ride up the rails, although there were a couple of times when it was looking like a possibility.

[Johnboy]

Here is a little more detail of the behaviour of the ejection seat. Hard to believe that a Western Tanager songbird started this tragic sequence of events. 

 

https://legionmagazine.com/en/2021/03/bird-strike-caused-fatal-snowbirds-crash-report-confirms/?fbclid=IwAR3b86rhV4hp9VRvOdJh7ADOT2_ICfR-mKeERcRdiGrL3yh-gzaKYjUc70c

[Ex 9A Guy]

One can only hope that Captain Casey was not conscious for that horrific sequence of events in the few seconds after departing the aircraft.