Hornet Catches Fire on USS Truman Flight Deck

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 12 Aug 2015, 23:32

Two Sailors Injured After Hornet Catches Fire on USS Harry S. Truman Flight Deck
12 Aug 2015 Sam LaGrone

"Two sailors suffered injuries late Tuesday night following a fire that broke out on the flight deck of carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday morning.

Shortly before midnight a parked Boeing F/A-18C Hornet caught fire forward of the carrier’s island during refueling, according to a statement from Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT)

The pilot of the fighter — assigned to the Strike Fighter Squadron 106 “Gladiators” (VFA-106) — ejected from the aircraft and landed on the flight deck.

After being treated for “non-life threating” injuries onboard , the pilot was transported to a hospital in Wilmington, N.C. for further treatment. A second sailor was also transported to the hospital for treatment...."

Source: http://news.usni.org/2015/08/12/two-sai ... light-deck

jessmo111 · by **jessmo111** » 13 Aug 2015, 07:34

Spaz this sounds like what they call refueling hot. Can you elaborate on the pros and Cons of refueling a planewhile its running? what ae the risks? Do you worry about things like static, just like you would refueling a car?

35_aoa · by **35_aoa** » 13 Aug 2015, 07:56

jessmo111 wrote:Spaz this sounds like what they call refueling hot. Can you elaborate on the pros and Cons of refueling a planewhile its running? what ae the risks? Do you worry about things like static, just like you would refueling a car?

pros - you don't have to shut the jet down, and it is basically a requirement during carrier quals based on time constraints and how many passes a guy has to get to be a qual.

cons - really nothing

It is a very safe procedure, and it is done a bazillion times every day around the world in USN/USMC aviation. I'll be interested to hear how this fire started, as such an event is very very uncommon, actually basically unheard of these days, at least in the F/A-18 community. Yes, static is always a concern with fueling any aircraft, and there is always a static line attached to the aircraft grounding it during any fueling evolution (whether "hot" or "cold").

jessmo111 · by **jessmo111** » 13 Aug 2015, 08:41

Hmm the guy punched out, maybe it was a cockpit fire? maybe oxygen related?

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 14 Aug 2015, 02:58

Long ago in a galaxy not too different the RAN FAA (as taught by the first USN exchange pilot) used to 'hot refuel' A4G Skyhawks on deck/ground via the refuel probe. As long as procedures followed it was safe. I do not know enough about hot refuelling for the Hornets (probably NATOPS can give advice - Hornet NATOPS are online). AFAIK there are not enough details to know what happened. Perhaps later more detail will emerge - however I'll wager that a pilot does not eject from the deck at zero zero unless there is a good reason [or he thinks... he could have been mistaken...] - and at night.

35_aoa · by **35_aoa** » 14 Aug 2015, 03:38

spazsinbad wrote:Long ago in a galaxy not too different the RAN FAA (as taught by the first USN exchange pilot) used to 'hot refuel' A4G Skyhawks on deck/ground via the refuel probe. As long as procedures followed it was safe. I do not know enough about hot refuelling for the Hornets (probably NATOPS can give advice - Hornet NATOPS are online). AFAIK there are not enough details to know what happened. Perhaps later more detail will emerge - however I'll wager that a pilot does not eject from the deck at zero zero unless there is a good reason [or he thinks... he could have been mistaken...] - and at night.

hah that is a little weird, but kinda cool. In the Hornet, and every other aircraft we use nowadays, the "hot" fueling is done through the single point/pressure fuel port.......in the Hornet being on the right side of the nose, just below the canopy. It is safe though.......you can throw a lot of raw fuel through the right intake of an F/A-18 and not have any problems other than a fuel stench in the ECS. If that potential problem caused a fire, we'd blow a jet up just about every time you tried to tank off a KC-135 with an old basket. But I agree with all you say, particularly about the decision to eject.

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 22 Aug 2015, 07:18

F/A-18C Hornet Catches Fire Aboard Truman
20 Aug 2015 Jason Hyatt

"...The aircraft was manned when the fire broke out, but the pilot was able to recognize the emergency and eject. The aircraft was parked on the “six pack” area of the flight deck, a particularly dangerous place to punch out–given its proximity to the ship’s island structure and all of its various masts and antennas. More amazingly, when the pilot ejected, he landed back on the flight deck instead of in the water. Although hurt during the ejection sequence, the pilot’s injuries were not life-threatening. Another sailor working in close proximity to the Mishap Aircraft was also injured in the blaze, but not seriously...."

SixPack Graphic from: http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/ ... _CV_03.pdf

Source: http://fightersweep.com/2851/fa-18c-hor ... rd-truman/

35_aoa · by **35_aoa** » 22 Aug 2015, 22:16

Yeah, 6-pack is probably the most common place to hot pit during CQ evolutions......there, in front of the island (just behind the "corral") and then on the finger. A lot of times this will be coupled with a crew swap, called a "hot seat", to keep the airplanes turning and maximize the amount of landings you can get everyone in a finite amount of time. Those aftermath pics are crazy.....I don't blame him (or her) for pulling the handle.