Board: July F-15 crash caused by violent spin

[unhappycamper]

Board: July F-15 crash caused by violent spin
By Oskar Garcia - The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Nov 24, 2008 21:33:30 EST

LAS VEGAS — A jet crash that killed an Air Force pilot during training exercises over the Nevada desert this summer resulted from a combination of elements that sent the F-15D Eagle into a violent spin lasting nearly one and one-half minutes, the head of an accident review board said Monday.

Imperfections in the jet’s nose cone and an imbalance in two external fuel tanks hindered Lt. Col. Thomas Bouley as he tried to recover from a flat spin, Brig. Gen. Robert Otto said. Otto said the spin started when Bouley made an aggressive turn while attempting a basic flight maneuver at roughly 350 mph.

“He did that because he was going off the feel of the airplane,” Otto said.

Bouley would have normally recovered control of the jet after just a few spins, but the other problems caused the F-15 to spin more severely — roughly 20 times in 87 seconds — before Bouley recovered and ejected, Otto said.

“This was a violent spin,” Otto said. Otto said the plane dropped about 21,000 feet as it spun.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/11/ap_f15_crash_112408/%2e