The news is now reporting that a Marine F/A-18 out of Miramar has crashed into a house in San Diego. Apparently, the pilot ejected prior to the crash. I have a message for the pilot.
Pardon my french, but what the fuck are you doing ejecting out of a plane when your plane is on a crash trajectory for a residential neighborhood? Your duty is to protect the citizens of the United States of America. It is your duty, in this situation, to do everything in your power to keep that plane from taking the life of an American citizen. If that means you have to stay at the controls of your malfunctioning plane as it augurs into the terrain, then that's what your duty to the United States called for you to do today. Ejecting from a plane that might crash into an occupied civilian structure, especially over a residential neighborhood, is only excusable if there was no chance of controlling the descent of the plane in any way. What if it had crashed into University High School? How many children would you have killed?
If this pilot ejected from a plane that he had any chance of controlling, and in so doing failed to do his utmost to protect the lives of the citizens of San Diego, I fully expect that he be charged with gross dereliction of duty, and, given that at least three people have died as a result, manslaughter.
P.S. Some people have expressed upset at my tone. Perhaps my ire should be directed more at the Marine Corps, for operating an aviation training facility in a densely populated area. If it comes out that the pilot in this case did absolutely everything humanly possible to control the course of the plane before ejecting, then he has done his duty (provided, of course, that the plane's malfunction is not itself his fault), and the deaths that may well have resulted from this are not truly his fault. But as I first read about this, I was reminded of that news chopper pilot whose tail rotor failed. This is a circumstance in which most people would consider the chopper "uncontrollable". He managed, nonetheless, to somehow wrestle the chopper to a crash landing on top of a commercial building so as to minimize harm. (There's film of the last several seconds of the flight somewhere on the web.) I admit that I hold our servicemen to high standards. Those standards will sometimes require Marines to die for their duty. That's part and parcel of the job, and if you aren't up for that, don't take it.
Update: The Marine Corps has disciplined 13 service members for errors in handling this incident, including relieving four officers from duty. Still no word on what discipline, if any, the pilot will face. It seems that a number of people screwed up rather badly here.
Pardon my french, but what the fuck are you doing ejecting out of a plane when your plane is on a crash trajectory for a residential neighborhood? Your duty is to protect the citizens of the United States of America. It is your duty, in this situation, to do everything in your power to keep that plane from taking the life of an American citizen. If that means you have to stay at the controls of your malfunctioning plane as it augurs into the terrain, then that's what your duty to the United States called for you to do today. Ejecting from a plane that might crash into an occupied civilian structure, especially over a residential neighborhood, is only excusable if there was no chance of controlling the descent of the plane in any way. What if it had crashed into University High School? How many children would you have killed?
If this pilot ejected from a plane that he had any chance of controlling, and in so doing failed to do his utmost to protect the lives of the citizens of San Diego, I fully expect that he be charged with gross dereliction of duty, and, given that at least three people have died as a result, manslaughter.
P.S. Some people have expressed upset at my tone. Perhaps my ire should be directed more at the Marine Corps, for operating an aviation training facility in a densely populated area. If it comes out that the pilot in this case did absolutely everything humanly possible to control the course of the plane before ejecting, then he has done his duty (provided, of course, that the plane's malfunction is not itself his fault), and the deaths that may well have resulted from this are not truly his fault. But as I first read about this, I was reminded of that news chopper pilot whose tail rotor failed. This is a circumstance in which most people would consider the chopper "uncontrollable". He managed, nonetheless, to somehow wrestle the chopper to a crash landing on top of a commercial building so as to minimize harm. (There's film of the last several seconds of the flight somewhere on the web.) I admit that I hold our servicemen to high standards. Those standards will sometimes require Marines to die for their duty. That's part and parcel of the job, and if you aren't up for that, don't take it.
Update: The Marine Corps has disciplined 13 service members for errors in handling this incident, including relieving four officers from duty. Still no word on what discipline, if any, the pilot will face. It seems that a number of people screwed up rather badly here.
You'd do well to research the story more. Several witnesses reported that the pilot ejected just before the crash, indicating that he stayed in the plane and tried to control it for as long as he could. In addition, it appears as if both jet engines were completely nonoperational, meaning that he had near zero control over the plane.
ReplyDeleteEven further than that, he reportedly managed to eject fuel from the descending jet, thus decreasing the likelihood of a more massive explosion upon impact.
Your ignorance of these facts could be excused due to the spotty ongoing reporting on the incident, but your haughty presumptions and derisive tone toward the pilot in question are entirely uncalled for.
Even with both engines down there is reserve hydraulic power that can allows some control of the plane. I freely admit that it's possible that there was no remaining control of the plane; that's something that the crash investigation will determine, I'm sure (military jets have flight recorders same as commercial ones, in fact more detailed ones). If the record truly shows that he did everything possible to protect life, then he has done his duty and might well deserve some sort of commendation. That might even save his career (most people who crash wash out, unless they're the son of admirals).
ReplyDeleteHave they found the missing grandmother and kids yet?
Kelly, fighter pilots are not chosen on their humanitarian proclivities. It's the opposite, remember tailhook? When it comes to fighter pilots, there is no such thing as 'an officer and a gentleman'.
ReplyDeleteFor a fighter pilot, you want the fastest, most aggressive, obnoxious and vicious jock you can find. His job is to kill people in combat using massively powerful machines.
Nevertheless, it looked like this guy held on as long as possible. Ejecting from a fighter jet is sometimes fatal. Lots of broken necks, depending on the particular system. The soviets have much better ejection systems than the US. But the point is that nobody ejects until there is no other choice, and even then not until the last second.
i was amazed at what a non-condemning attitude the father of the family that was killed had after this crash
ReplyDeleteI am def. going to have to agree with Brad Fults on this one... the pilot did not eject until the absolute last minute, so he did try and keep the plane aloft, and tried to steer it away from the neighborhood,and also from civilization all together... So how about you do research a bit more before you shit talk any pilot, but especially a military pilot who was training to be able to protect and fight for your freedoms... such as the freedom to shit talk the people who are trying and willing to do what you obviously can't do!!
ReplyDeleteAnd to Kelly Martin... yes they do have a certain reserve hydraulic system... but with no lift (which is needed to do anything on aircraft) there was no way to steer the plane away without some sort of thrust to help create lift!!
Upset at the Marine Corp for operating an aviation training facility in a densely populted area? Lack of knowledge, education and ignorance all plays into your lovely post. That base was there before those houses. So if you want to play the blame game then maybe you should blame the contractor who built those houses there. Example... Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, NV was built back in 1950 13 miles away from the closest house, original casinos or anything that was of existence in Las Vegas at that time. Now, there is nothing but houses, business's and schools all around this area. Oh and did I mention that Nellis is also a Training Facility?
ReplyDeleteLike the gentleman below me mentioned you really need to know your facts before posting something. If you would have done a little more research you would know that he noticed something was wrong almost immediately upon take off. Oh, but let me guess you think that the pilots are out there working on their own planes. I guess if that was true then I guess it would be his fault. Also, if you would have done just a LITTLE more research you would know that he did do everything he could to keep it away from a residential area. But, once again lack of education, knowledge and ignorance can sometime mislead you.
Pilots usually try to there last minute so that they can stop the disaster to occur but in some situation its unavoidable and its good if they eject at last moment its not worth to die if he cant save the crash now is it?
ReplyDelete