"The pilot was unaware of the movement of the aircraft towards the ground": in the United States published a report on the causes of the fall of the F-16C in December last year

The United States published a report on the results of an investigation into the causes of the fall of the F-16C fighter last year in Michigan. The aircraft was piloted by an experienced 37-year-old Captain Derwood Jones, whose duty station was the 176th Fighter Squadron of the National Guard of Wisconsin (USA). The plane crashed on December 8, 2020 in Hiawatha National Park in Michigan.

The investigation team's report says the pilot lost his bearings while attempting to refuel the aircraft in mid-air. Indicates that the pilot was unable to receive GPS data in real time.
From the report:

Other factors that led to the crash of the plane were bad weather conditions at night, when the flight was in progress.

The plane then crashed into the ground at high speed, the pilot was killed.

D. Jones had at least 16 hours of flight time on the F-1000. His total piloting practice was over 1300 hours. 240 hours of these are related to combat missions. Over 300 hours the American pilot "flew" at night.

From the report:

During the collision with the ground, the F-16C was at an angle of 58 degrees with a roll of 20 degrees to the right. The speed was over 600 knots (over 1100 km / h). The nose of the aircraft and the right wing were the first to touch the ground. Several trees were cut as a result of the fall. There are characteristic traces and a funnel in the ground. Captain Jones didn't even try to eject.

Representatives of the investigation team say that this is proof of the fact that the pilot was not even aware of the movement of the plane towards the ground.

Comments

[Finches]

Like Gagarin and Seregin ...

[Torins]

At the expense of Gagarin, there is a mistake of the meteorological service as far as I remember. There is also a slightly different moment, not clear. The pilot could not help but know that he was losing altitude. Why didn't he instrument the plane? The commission does not agree on something. More like a blackout.

[Finches]

As an option!

[Cananecat]

+1
Much like a loss of control. Another thing is why they hide it. Apparently, the voice acting of the true reason will lead to a number of unnecessary checks of both the flight personnel and the various functions of the airbase.

[Peak]

the pilot was unable to receive GPS data in real time

This disaster is, of course, a separate, special case, but does the US Air Force rely too much on GPS data?
After all, the forecasts of experts about possible future military clashes indicate that the GPS system may be completely disabled, or under the influence of the enemy's electronic warfare systems, give false data ...

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: PiK

Does the US Air Force rely too much on GPS data? ..

We do not know whether a particular aircraft was equipped with a ground approach system, but they put pressure on the fact that such systems have their own database and their own gps receiver ...

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: PiK

Does the US Air Force rely too much on GPS data? ..

We do not know whether a particular aircraft was equipped with a ground approach system, but they put pressure on the fact that such systems have their own database and their own gps receiver ...

The US National Guard has been flying on the F-16C Block, 42 ​​Block 60 for a long time, there are 100% modern systems, even on the F-16A there were ground proximity sensors (radio altimeter), set the altitude at which the signal is triggered, it will scream like crazy.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

even on the F-16A there were sensors for proximity to the ground (radio altimeter), set the altitude at which the signal is triggered, it will scream like crazy.

EGPWS / TAWS systems are somewhat more complex than a radio altimeter - they rely on GPS and cartographic databases, from flight parameters, position and dance.
Is block60 used in the states? This is the same desert hawk

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: letinant

even on the F-16A there were sensors for proximity to the ground (radio altimeter), set the altitude at which the signal is triggered, it will scream like crazy.

EGPWS / TAWS systems are somewhat more complex than a radio altimeter - they rely on GPS and cartographic databases, from flight parameters, position and dance.
Is block60 used in the states? This is the same desert hawk

"Dessert Hawk" is a modification of Block 60 for Israel. Something added to Block60 from Lavi's development. It is precisely the radio altimeter and the course vertical that are the most important devices when there is an opportunity to meet the ground, and all these trinkets are needed in battle, for hidden penetration. If the flight was not close to combat, he could use the radar in the mapping mode, it was all on board. The question is different, he didn’t even gasp.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

"Dessert Hawk" is a modification of Block 60 for Israel. Something added to Block60 from Lavi's development.

Excuse me, but if you decide to repeat this - right away with the link please.
They themselves write about the loss of spatial orientation, which is obvious: cause of the crash was the pilot's inability to recover from spatial disorientation. The combination of night, weather conditions, the use of night-vision goggles, low illumination, the aircraft's speed and position, and the pilot's breakdown in visual scan of the aircraft's instrumentation impacted his “ability to recognize, confirm, and recover from the unusual attitude created by the spatially disorienting event, ” why didn’t jump - we don’t know

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: letinant

"Dessert Hawk" is a modification of Block 60 for Israel. Something added to Block60 from Lavi's development.

Excuse me, but if you decide to repeat this - right away with the link please.
They themselves write about the loss of spatial orientation, which is obvious: cause of the crash was the pilot's inability to recover from spatial disorientation. The combination of night, weather conditions, the use of night-vision goggles, low illumination, the aircraft's speed and position, and the pilot's breakdown in visual scan of the aircraft's instrumentation impacted his “ability to recognize, confirm, and recover from the unusual attitude created by the spatially disorienting event, ” why didn’t jump - we don’t know

About the modification "Dessert Hawk", book 1996, US edition, the name F-16 "Fighting Falcon". About the report, they listed absolutely everything that happened at a particular moment in time. Night vision goggles, low illumination, speed, position and interference in the image of night vision goggles (the pilot's breakdown in visual scan of the aircraft's instrumentation impacted his). They just didn’t answer why he fell and why the pilot didn’t react. Or do you think that the display of the HUD and the gyro-vertical rotating in front of your nose indicates normal flight? Everything they wrote means that they do not know what happened at all, or they hide the true reasons for the fall. By the way, in the book about the F-16, there is a photograph of the indication of night vision goggles, so there it is clearly visible where the earth is and where the sky is (lighter, and perceptible). Therefore, if you do not control your position in space and your height does not allow you to take control of the situation, "MEI DAY !!!" and bones overboard.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

modification "Dessert Hawk", book 1996, US edition, name F-16 "Fighting Falcon"

The F-16E / F block60 appeared later - the most advanced version of the 16s at that time: developed for the Arabic order - hence the name. Not used in the states unless they are being retrained.
And the rest

Quote: letinant

Everything they wrote means that they do not know what happened at all, or they hide the true reasons for the fall.

[letinant]

The F-16E / F block60 appeared later - the most advanced version of the 16s at that time: developed for the Arabic order - hence the name. Not used in the states unless they are being retrained.

I dare to disappoint you, but in the F-16C modification there is also Block 60 and there is also Block63 (this is the batch number), so this batch of aircraft for 1996 was the most modern. And the state of Israel ordered for itself aircraft with the same configuration, only supplemented or replaced some American equipment with its own, from its development "Lavi", and a modification of the "Dessert Hawk" was born. Do you know that Israel has been developing its Lavi aircraft in cooperation with General Dynamix? It is very similar in appearance to the F-16 Dessert Hawk, only slightly larger. And when the characteristics began to emerge better than that of the American aircraft, General Dynamix abruptly dropped out of development with an agreement that the Israelis could use their avionics only at home and nowhere else. Under the threat of refusal to supply engines for the F-16 of the Israeli Air Force. This is competition in its purest form. Unfortunately, I cannot find the book.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

F-16C also has Block 60 and then there is Block63 (this is the batch number)

I wonder where you read all this? Really interesting. Strong impression that we understand the concept of block in different ways in the history of the 16th. I had an opportunity to familiarize myself with the history of Lavi, thank you. The fact that the sons of Israel have access to the architecture of American planes is, as it were, the norm: they even sharpened the 35th for themselves.
What the competition - it's not for nothing that the Turks rested this time: they already stepped on this rake, like many

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: letinant

F-16C also has Block 60 and then there is Block63 (this is the batch number)

I wonder where you read all this? Really interesting. Strong impression that we understand the concept of block in different ways in the history of the 16th. I had an opportunity to familiarize myself with the history of Lavi, thank you. The fact that the sons of Israel have access to the architecture of American planes is, as it were, the norm: they even sharpened the 35th for themselves.
What the competition - it's not for nothing that the Turks rested this time: they already stepped on this rake, like many

I will definitely find this book. I just don't know how to convey it to you.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

I just don't know how to convey it to you.

Do not count the work: title, edition, maybe a scan of the cover. You understand that there are many monographs about the F-16, '96 is not the most recent, but the facts are interesting.

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: letinant

I just don't know how to convey it to you.

Do not count the work: title, edition, maybe a scan of the cover. You understand that there are many monographs about the F-16, '96 is not the most recent, but the facts are interesting.

modern military aircraft, by Lou Drendel, scuadron signal publications, VIPER F-16. I found it in my library.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

found in my library.

Thank you, I have it, most likely, I just do not pay much attention to signal squadron: give a little time and we will return to this topic. Moving - you understand

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

Lou Drendel, scuadron signal publications, VIPER F-16

This is this one

or previous

[letinant]

it looks like yes.

[Pete mitchell]

Quote: letinant

it looks like yes.

This is the second page, the cover does not fit. I ran to sleep like this, but did not find where it says about Lavi or block63? He did his first job in the year 83 so it seems. Such a good alignment in terms of commissioning time

[letinant]

Quote: Pete Mitchell

Quote: letinant

it looks like yes.

This is the second page, the cover does not fit. I ran to sleep like this, but did not find where it says about Lavi or block63? He did his first job in the year 83 so it seems. Such a good alignment in terms of commissioning time

I will try to find more, maybe I have mixed with other books. A very large library on military aviation, I have been collecting it since 1988.

[Pete mitchell]

Thanks in advance.
I already try to keep everything in electronic form: it is more compact and easier to search. Although of course there is a charm to leaf through the pages ...

[NIKN]

Trying to understand what and how

that the pilot lost his bearings while attempting to refuel the aircraft in mid-air.

other factors that led to the plane crash were bad weather conditions at night when the flight was in progress.

In other words, the refueling at night in SMU (I can hardly imagine it, but I can) For such an operation, precise navigation means are definitely used, including GPS and it is in real time. All the pilot's attention was focused precisely on this data, which apparently came with a delay, after which the pilot lost his spatial orientation (night, SMU) Why did not he try to deduce, apparently until the end he tried to believe the devices associated with this GPS data error and tried to lead the plane to the aircraft tanker. Well, something like that. In general, it's cool to refuel at night in SMU ...

[Bshkaus]

... All the pilot's attention was focused precisely on this data, which apparently came with a delay, after which the pilot lost his spatial orientation (night, SMU) Why did not he try to deduce, apparently until the end he tried to believe the devices associated with this GPS data error and tried to lead the plane to the aircraft tanker

It also seems to me that there was an illusion of spatial orientation: I focused on some data, lost sight of others, then got it wrong if I understood the error at all. Ponomarenko described a case when the pilot of the MiG 29, after completing a figure in the cloud, was subjectively sure that he had not twisted and was flying upside down, but the air horizon showed the norm. As the pilot himself said, he was at a loss and decided what to believe, decided to believe the device, despite his feelings and instinct to turn over. Soon the illusion was gone.

[NIKN]

There may be more options. I am inclined to believe that some stage of the flight (approaching the tanker) was generally left at the mercy of the autopilot (smu, night) and he (the autopilot or another self-propelled gun) worked exclusively on the data of the navigation system ... (Which unfortunately gave an error) The pilot was waiting for the exit to the tanker and had no idea that he was already rushing to the ground ... Again, the night, smu ... But the exercise itself commands respect, refueling at night in the smudge ...

[letinant]

Quote: Canecat

+1
Much like a loss of control. Another thing is why they hide it. Apparently, the voice acting of the true reason will lead to a number of unnecessary checks of both the flight personnel and the various functions of the airbase.

In case of loss of control, "MEI DAY" and bones overboard and then akurat into the soil, without trying to do anything.

[K-36]

SW.letinant
Alexey, I would suggest a separate button for requesting "Rituly" about the spatial position of the aircraft. Just for the case when the pilot caught a "glitch" during the day in the clouds or at night over the sea in the PMU. The lion's share of such "glitches" falls on the roll. when such a button is pressed, the "Ritual" must list the (digital) readings of the piloting devices in the sequence:
!. Bank; 2. Pitch (negative / positive); 3. Vario readings (climb or decrease in altitude); 4. How much time is left before the meeting with the Earth in case of descent.
And all this "conversation" with the pilot to transmit online to the CP RP. The message "Rituuli" should begin with the words "Request for control". Accordingly, the RP will know that the pilot has requested such a Control; therefore, the increased attention of the entire hydraulic fracturing unit will be drawn to this pilot.
One more suggestion: ON THE GLISSIDE of the landing (both must be "crammed" into the memory of the on-board computer (the speaker of which, in necessary cases, is "Ritulya"), long before the long-distance drive from the "Ritulya" there should be only one working message Like this: "On the glide path Removal ... Altitude ... Speed ​​...
Pitch ... Roll .. Wind (direction and speed) ...
All ROEN angles at all wind speeds and directions must be calculated in advance for this type of aircraft and "crammed" into the memory of the on-board computer.
And then the conclusion " Glide path in NORM" or recommendations for adjusting the glide path[i] [/ i]. Then keep silent (in the case of "Glide path in NORM")! Enter only if it is necessary to correct the glide path or issue a recommendation to retreat.
Something like this ...

[Pete mitchell]

As far as I understand, you want to add additional functions to the "Ritula" from its distant relative RAAS - here he is such a bore: too high, too low, long landing ... one word is a bore

[sabakina]

Namesake, tell me, does the pilot feel the force of gravity in flight?

[Bshkaus]

Namesake, tell me, does the pilot feel the force of gravity in flight?

The pilot / pilot feels overload in flight: it can be 1g or more (both positive and negative), but it is always directed in relation to the inertial forces, regardless of the spatial position of the aircraft. I would ask the pilots a provocative question: "How do you perceive evolution in the air: does the spatial position of the earth change, or does the position of the aircraft itself change?" But they can be beaten for this, especially the young
Aviation illusion is engaged in the issues of perception in flight and this is a dense forest of unsolved problems.

[Starover_Z]

Quote: Torins

Why didn't he instrument the plane? The commission does not agree on something. More like a blackout.

Surely they do not finish talking. Loss of consciousness or or just a change in state, but from what?
What did the pilot take before the flight or what did he eat, prick? The questions are interesting, but they will not be answered.

[URAL72]

pilot lost orientation during refueling attempt

The pilot refueled at the bar before taking off. Possibly a white powder. In our Donbas, the National Guard is also at war, how they refuel and what their orientation we know ...

[Bshkaus]

The pilot refueled at the bar before taking off. Possibly a white powder. In our Donbass

I do not know how in Donbas, but in aviation circles it is customary to treat pilots with respect, even if they are an enemy, and the causes of the disaster are discussed seriously, because you may find yourself in a similar situation. Apparently, you do not know how easy it is to lose spatial orientation on an airplane even for an ulcer and an ideological teetotaler.

[Piramidon]

Quote: Torins

At the expense of Gagarin, there is a mistake of the meteorological service as far as I remember. There is also a slightly different moment, not clear. The pilot could not help but know that he was losing altitude. Why didn't he instrument the plane? The commission does not agree on something. More like a blackout.

There is such a thing as loss of orientation in space. This happens in aviation. The pilot begins to doubt the readings of the instruments and believes in his feelings.

[Bshkaus]

There is such a thing as loss of orientation in space. This happens in aviation. The pilot begins to doubt the readings of the instruments and believes in his feelings.

I had a similar experience several times while driving, when I stood in a traffic jam between two slowly moving trucks: the feeling that you were rolling down, immediately pressed the brake sharply, not understanding why I continued to roll back

[Torins]

I am aware of the loss of spatial orientation and I know that in any situation, devices are in priority. It is very strange that the pilot did not believe them.

[Mwg]

Or deliberately committed suicide. That also happens.

[APASUS]

That's why the school is taught to look at the instruments, and not trust your feelings. It is strange that the horizon is not duplicated on the F-16C

[zlinn]

it is also duplicated, it is on the HUD and on the panel the usual gyroscopic (between the legs), but with a strong illusion, pilots tend not to believe any instruments and in civil aviation such cases are sea

[bar]

seasoned 37-year-old captain Derwood Jones ...
... piloting practice was over 1300 hours ...
... the pilot was unable to receive GPS data in real time

Is it so bad? Got a GPS signal, and that's it?

[tihonmarine]

Quote: bar

Is it so bad? Got a GPS signal, and that's it?

The Russian-Chinese hackers will turn off the GPS, and all American planes will crash into the ground or fall into the sea. (war is over).

[Bad_gr]

Quote: bar

Got a GPS signal, and that's it?

There was a case when a passenger plane crashed due to the fact that during maintenance the plane was washed, and they forgot to remove the sticker from the sensor tube that determines the speed (protection from water during washing)

[knn54]

- during an attempt to refuel the aircraft in the air.
The procedure is quite complicated and, as we can see, dangerous.

[askort154]

Yes, there are such situations when flying in the clouds, at night over the sea, etc. This is called the "roll illusion" and often happens to inexperienced pilots, or very tired experienced pilots. The pilot does not trust instruments, but falls into the zone of illusions. There were many disasters because of this, especially at the dawn of aviation. In this case, the information is "curve". Something has not been said, or
distorted. It is possible that the real reason is closed by the commission, which often happens everywhere when the commission is engaged. An illustrative example of this is the investigation into the crash of flight MN-17.

[Palestinian]

so believe gps after that)))

[Peaceful SEO]

Seriously? Didn't notice that he was flying down? Was the pilot out of control?

[Avior]

this is a fairly common and serious problem - loss of orientation by the pilot

[Flurry]

Yes, we drowned the carcass like that on departure from Sochi. But there is also super-modern avionics and computers (as we are assured, turning even * censorship * into woodnderwaffe) with independent channels. Something they don't tell us ...

[Avior]

Probably, he was distracted by the exit to refuel and piloted visually - in poor visibility conditions, not the safest option

[Avior]

it happened in Perm, in Adler with an Armenian plane.

[Mikhail3]

In general, there are two options. The first is the loss of consciousness by the pilot.
And the second - are there independent systems for measuring altitude and speed in the aircraft, except for the most modern, extremely computerized ones? Who, as everyone knows, can desperately lie at any moment?

[Heel]

as always, the news on VO turned out to be inaccurate and gave rise to a bunch of fortune-telling on the topic
And what can be understood from the part of the report in the public domain
1, there was no refueling, There was a training flight to intercept Cessna, but the Sessna flight did not take place due to weather conditions, and the flight task was changed to orienteering in the SPU
2, the pilots (there was a pair of F-16s) used GPS and night vision systems (glasses are written there) for covert orientation,
the presenter (who died) reported problems with the GPS and decided to fix them by swapping places with the wingman, but lost sight of him (visibility dropped below 500 m), switched to instrument piloting, but apparently due to the removal of glasses and vigorous shaking of his head in search the wingman caught the illusion,
3, The altitude was 7200 feet (2100) meters, the speed of 550 knots (1017 km / h), he made several maneuvers, one of which turned to the right at 130 degrees, after which he went into a dive under 90
4, 7 seconds remained to the ground, and if he had done everything correctly, he would have come out of the peak at 2000 feet, but apparently realized what was happening too late and entered the ground under 58 degrees (apparently he still tried to correct it)
5, most likely did not lose consciousness, the radio exchange with the slave was carried out almost to the end (he reported that he did not see the slave and was generally "blind", then a couple more uninformative phrases ,,,
In general, quite a typical controlled flight to the ground (CFIT). It's a pity, but this happens quite often and on different types of aircraft with very different degrees of automation.

[Flurry]

And the different smart systems did not work there (such as the Terrain ahead informant ??) It's not An-2 after all ?! If he lost orientation and switched to instruments, he should have noticed a discrepancy between his sensations and their readings (gyro horizon, altimeter, accelerometer, etc.), temporarily switch to autopilot. It’s strange.

[Heel]

of course it should have, but an illusion is a very dangerous thing, you just stop believing the devices, or you don’t understand what you saw, they’re trained for this, but he had only about 3 seconds to make a decision about at least a bailout, but apparently he did not understand what was happening , or was sure that he would have time to fix it, even when training with a visor it takes 1.5-2 seconds and there you are ready for the exercise in advance, but here ... there was simply not enough height