Electric Lightning crash

[Ryan]

Pilot killed in fighter jet crash identified
Nov 14, 2009 5:44 PM | By Nashira Davids
AN ex-military fighter jet has crashed killing the pilot at an air show in Bredasdorp, Western Cape.The pilot has been identified as Dave Stock.


The English Electric Lightning aircraft exploded after crashing near the Overberg Air Force Base in Bredasdorp. The aircraft was operated by Thunder City in Cape Town, which offers thrill seekers trips in ex military jets.

Thunder City CEO Mike Beachy Head said the the pilot reported having hydraulic failure and was preparing to eject shortly before crashing.

One spectator who didn't want to be named said he watched as the aircraft spiraled towards the ground then disappear in the bushes. "A second or two later I saw a big black smoke mushroom," said the man.

Anzelle Smit, spokesman for Metro EMS in the Western Cape said after almost two hours of searching the pilot's body was found. "He was found outside of the plane not too far from the air force base," said Smit.
:bigcry:

[Ryan]

Dave was Deputy Head Boy at La Salle College at Roodeport where he was also Captain of the athletics team and played First 15 rugby. Dave was a model aircraft enthusiast and loved windsurfing and triathlons.

Dave's deep passion for aviation and aerospace lead him to joining the South African Air Force in 1984, gaining his wings in 1986. He completed the Impala OCU 1987, Cheetah OCU and Mirage F1AZ OCU in 1990. Dave was selected for the test pilot course and attended the National Test Pilot Course in the USA 1991/2 and Advanced Systems Testing Course at the International Test Pilot School at Cranfield, England in 1993.

Dave qualified as an Experimental Test Pilot (FAA, CAA), Aero Systems Flight Test Specialist (FAA,CAA) and a rated Test Pilot Class 1 and Test Pilot Instructor. Dave’s final position before leaving the SAAF was Senior Test Pilot (fixed wing) at TFDC Overberg.

After leaving the SAAF, Dave got his ALTP and flew for SA Express on the DH8 as P1, later joining South African Airways where he converted onto the Boeing 737 and 747 series whilst holding the position of Test Pilot Manager, SAA. Dave took leave of absence from SAA as a consultant test pilot with BAE Systems on the Hawk project, returning to fly the 747-400 converting from P2 to P1 on type.

Dave was Aviation Safety Officer at Thunder City, Executive Vice President of the National Test Pilot School SA and Director of Certification with the Certification and Qualification Company of SA. This impressive list is only a brief snapshot of this outstanding person.

Very deepest sympathy to Dave's nearest and dearest.

[Louis]

Did you know him?

[Ryan]

Not personally, no but he is a very well known pilot in the aviation scene in RSA. He had done close to 16 000 hours, most of that in fast jets.

[Ryan]

Here is a picture taken during the last few seconds of the flight. Fires in the Lightning were not uncommon although the official cause of the accident has yet to be determined.

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And a picture of former test pilot Dave Stock and Ivan Pentz (taken during the 1980's).

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Here is the ejection sequence for the Martin Baker Mk4 ejections seat. The sequence is activated by pulling either the overhead trigger or the one situated between the pilot's legs. This is the sequence (If the first part of the sequence fails, I do not know what it means for the rest of the sequence) :

- Face screen seat firing handle pulled
- Canopy jettison initiated
- Ejection gun fires, seat moves up guide rails, secondary cartridges fire
- Emergency oxygen tripped
- Aircrew services disconnect
- Leg restraints operate
- As seat rises, static line initiates time-delay which fires drogue gun after 0.5 sec
- As seat rises, static line initiates time-release unit
- 22 in. dia then 5 ft dia drogues stabilise and slow seat

- Above 10000 ft
- barostat prevents operation of time-release mechanism

- High speed
- g-restrictor prevents operation of time-release mechanism

- Below 10000 ft, low speed
- 1.5 sec (3 sec on earlier Mk 4, 1.25 sec on later Mk 4) after initiation of time-release unit
- the plunger releases scissor shackle to
- Transfer pull of drogue to lifting lines of parachute, releasing it from seat
- Release face blind

- Harness and leg lines released from seat
- Drogues deploy main parachute, aircrew separates from seat
- Normal descent
- Manual separation system available if necessary. Operation of manual separation handle fires a cartridge that operates a guillotine, severing the parachute attachment line, linkages function releasing parachute harness, negative-g strap, PEC and leg restraint cords.
- Freeing parachute from seat. Aircrew can then use rip cord to operate parachute

[psbarham]

that engine cowling is almost gone on the left :o

such a cool plane.

thunder city is one of the place on my list of things to do when i win the lotery