The pilot did not cope with the turn maneuver: the cause of the F-35C crash on the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson was revealed in the USA

American pilots practice aerobatics under the name Sierra Hotel - a cultural decoding of the abbreviation SH, which in an acceptable form can be translated as "hell difficult." When performing this maneuver, the aircraft, leaving for a 360-degree turn, resets its course; at the same time, the speed of the machine becomes lower than the speed of landing gear, which seriously limits the time for setting up a fighter for landing.

According to the investigation, the incorrect execution of the maneuver caused the crash of the F-35С aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, which occurred on January 24, 2022.

As indicated, the pilot, who performed this maneuver for the first time, drove the car at a speed of 370-390 knots before the turn, switched to afterburner, which turned off after a few seconds. He realized late that he did not turn on the on-board assistance system, which makes it possible to control the power of the power plant during landing, as a result, the engine switched to idling, a sharp transition to maximum afterburner did not correct the situation.

As a result, the aircraft, which was flying in manual mode, did not have enough speed, it hit the deck with its nose, the rocket arm caught on the safety cable, which led to the rotation of the machine counterclockwise (this gave the crew time to run up). The wreckage of the aircraft injured five sailors on the ship, the nearby EA-18G Growler was damaged ($ 2,5 million damage), the fighter itself, by inertia, began to move along the deck at a speed of 150 km / h, falling as a result into the South China Sea, catapulted the pilot was injured.

This accident was the result of pilot error.

- wrote the commander of the 7th fleet US Vice Admiral Carl Thomas, revealing the outcome of a detailed investigation.

The pilot had a total flight time of 650,3 hours, of which 370,7 on the F-35C, "was well rested, mentally healthy and was among the best junior officers of the second aircraft carrier air wing." The sky was mostly cloudless, the wind was blowing at 15 knots on deck, and there were low waves on the sea.

The fighter had a faulty electronic warfare system, but was otherwise capable of performing tasks.

- noted by the investigation.

A Navy spokesman told USNI News that the crash had removed the pilot from flying practice but was still on duty. The investigation recommended that aviators, when using the Sierra Hotel maneuver, stop a sharp drop in power and always use auxiliary throttle control systems when landing, and developers should install indicator lights that display the operation of these systems.

Comments

[Andrey Moskvin]

What kind of "turning maneuvers" when landing?

[credo]

But I'm interested in something else. If

He realized late that he did not turn on the on-board assistance system, which makes it possible to control the power of the power plant during landing, as a result, the engine switched to idling, a sharp transition to maximum afterburner did not correct the situation.

then where was the ultra-modern computerization of this "golden gift" worth under 100 million greenbacks, praised by the Americans, if it did not track down such a "trifle".

[dauria]

What kind of "turning maneuvers" when landing?

Most likely to quickly reduce the speed to the landing configuration (flaps extension, landing gear). Liho, of course. And it saves time compared to the classic box and glide path. But I forgot the autothrottle - well, the speed dipped below the permissible one. In general, I thought that they were doing this by sliding on the glide path with handles, and there was automation.

[Bad_gr]

The aircraft enters the deck of an aircraft carrier with the turbine untwisted and the air brakes released. If a non-routine situation arises, then the air brakes are removed, and since the turbine is not at idle at all, the aircraft has enough thrust to perform maneuvers (leave for a second circle).
Due to the pilot's error, the turbine speed dropped to idle and immediately there was a need to add thrust, but the turbine was inertial, and while it was spinning up, the aircraft sank to the deck with an excess of vertical speed, which led to disaster.

[Bad_gr]

Quote: Bad_gr

.......... and deployed air brakes.

[Rusfaner]

About throttle zvslonku - smiled.
How many people suffered because of one "deer"! "Minus" one mattress plane - that's good!

[fiv]

Didn't post - so it didn't happen. Posted - so it was. Well done, go to the special officer, write an explanatory note. There would be an incident in San Diego, I would sympathize, but in the South China Sea - good luck, repeat escho!

[Evgenijus]

Advertising for the sale of aircraft of this series is very pleasing!

[rotmistr60]

this gave the crew time to scatter

Did the author mean those who were on the upper deck? Judging by the fact that five people were injured, the crew scattered either slowly or in the wrong direction. But in general, according to the construction of the proposal, one can imagine that the entire crew of the aircraft carrier fled.

[dauria]

ran either slowly or in the wrong direction.

Imagine KAMAZ, which went skidding on the ice and rushing, spinning either on the sidewalk, or on the oncoming lane. Here, few people will realize that it is necessary to jump back at all. Most people will just freeze in their tracks. Didn't kill anyone - and that's a miracle.

[Magog_]

He realized late that he did not turn on the on-board assistance system, which makes it possible to control the power of the power plant when landing.

It can be understood from this ornate phrase that the pilot did not turn on the automatic control of engine thrust before landing, as a result of which the speed fell below the critical one, and the aircraft fell into the "stall" mode.

[vovochkarzhevsky]

The reason is the entry above the glide path, an attempt to fit into it and, as a result, an excess of vertical speed. Here is the same thing, though entering the SMU.

[Magog_]

There further in the text:

as a result, the engine went to idle, abrupt transition to maximum afterburner didn't fix the situation.
As a result, the aircraft flying in manual mode, not enough speed, he hit the bow on the deck, the rocket bracket caught on the safety cable

A typical stall pattern.

[vovochkarzhevsky]

So this is always the case when the glide slope is higher. Instinctively we increase the vertical and extinguish the translational.

[Magog_]

When the deckman realized his mistake, he took the helm to reach the deck (it can be seen on the record that the device lifted its nose), then abruptly shifted "away from itself" and plopped down with its beak ... Roughly speaking, any mistake on landing leads to the descent path is "not along the glide path", but in your case, it seems that the crew could not withstand the gliding mode above the runway ("keeping" in a different way) to ensure an acceptable vertical rate of descent.

[Magog_]

In your case: a white snow-covered area against a background of white frosty haze gave the effect of an almost "blind landing", when the crew did not see any landmarks on the surface of the runway in order to correctly perform the "holding".

[Magog_]

I clarify: the pilot lifted the nose of the aircraft in order to reach the landing deck. Then there was a blow by the tail of the device on the ledge of the deck, and the plane "pecked".

[Bad_gr]

And then our Su-33 came in for landing with an error, but managed to go on a second circle.
https://youtu.be/UE6fJMSSl7U

[Magog_]

Here, just, it turned out above the glide path. The pilot saw it on the "Moon". Only very risky worked as a helm "for himself" ...