Blue Angels crash in Nashville

MikeD said:
Whatever happened to the 1982 T-Birds accident video?
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There was actually a Congressional Investigation into Creech over it; he made two of the investigation board members (that included a young Johnny Jumper) leave the room, and he personally hit record over the last 10 or 20 seconds -- showing the actual impact and fireball -- of the sole copy of the video.

Some light reading from that investigation:

http://www.gao.gov/assets/210/207430.pdf

April 2, 1984
General Creech reviewed the tapes with Lt. Col. Williford, Lt. Col. John R. Jumper, and Sgt. Paul Nickel. During the review session, two copies of the videotape were erased. At one point, General Creech asked Williford and Jumper to leave the room. In the presence of Sgt. Nickel, General Creech stated that he personally erased the last few seconds of the tape showing the fireball. General Creech stated that he did not seek or receive legal guidance from the Staff JAG regarding his decision to erase the tapes
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The uncle of a JO tour buddy of mine was on the team at the time, though not in the diamond 1-4 position since he is still alive.
 
Weird. It looks pretty normal for the opposing solo takeoff, except it looks like he just doesn't pull out of the dive. :(
 
This was sent me from a friend who just happened to be flying and on the same freq and Fat Albert. Very touching.

"As you may or may not know Blue Angels Pilot Marine Captain Jeff Kuss was killed in a crash in Tennessee preparing for an air show. His body was flown back to Pensacola from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware yesterday (6/7/16) on a C-130 (Blue Angel’s own Fat Albert). I was flying at the time to Hartford and heard the following radio exchange with Atlanta Center and thought I’d share it. We checked on with Atlanta Center as normal and heard a “Blue Angel 6” Navy C-130 check on as well. We knew it was a C-130 because Atlanta Center pointed him out as traffic to another aircraft. He was using the Blue Angel 6 call sign as a tribute to Capt. Kuss who was using the same call sign at the time of his crash. Atlanta Center then queried “Are you bringing him home?” to which the C-130 responded simply “Affirmative”. Atlanta Center then replied “Cleared direct to Pensacola” giving them a more direct and faster route back to Naval Air Station Pensacola. Blue Angel 6 then replied “Request to remain on present route direct to Montgomery (Alabama) and then direct Pensacola”. Atlanta Center responded “approved as requested”. I didn’t understand why they didn’t want the more direct route at the time as most pilots will tell you we will always take a more direct route if offered. When I got on the ground I read a bit more about Capt. Kuss and discovered that his parents live in Montgomery so the C-130 carrying his remains was purposely flying over his parent’s hometown on their way to NAS Pensacola as yet another tribute to him. Capt Kuss was married and had two small children not unlike myself. I thought the attention to detail amid the tragedy was touching and just thought I ‘d pass it along"
 
Some of the videos of Fat Albert/Blue Angel 6 and the Lead Solo flying around Pensacola are truly somber. The whine of a turboprop accompanied by the soulful moan of the jet and knowing why they were doing it makes it very humbling to watch.
 
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Hacker15e said:
There was actually a Congressional Investigation into Creech over it; he made two of the investigation board members (that included a young Johnny Jumper) leave the room, and he personally hit record over the last 10 or 20 seconds -- showing the actual impact and fireball -- of the sole copy of the video.

Some light reading from that investigation:

http://www.gao.gov/assets/210/207430.pdf
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I find it tragically ironic that they named the base where it happened after him.
 
To @Hacker15e 's earlier point, read the last line ...

FairchildAFB_KC-135-Stratotanker-crash-March1987.jpg


Also, in reference to the video posted above - is it just me, or does it seem like a longer than normal time between the aircraft dropping below the trees and the smoke plume emerging? Possible that he got it leveled out and hit objects while trying to return to a climb?
 
While I don't feel comfortable speculating, I swear I see several puffs of black/brown smoke behind the a/c in both videos (I've watched repeatedly). I don't know anything about F18s, but I would imagine having a power loss on one engine while the other is full A/B while pitched straight up at low altitude would be really bad...

Edit: and slow...
 
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According to the local news station this morning, the Blues have resumed practice and will be flying a modified 5 ship performance this coming weekend in Traverse City.
 
Toobdrvr said:
While I don't feel comfortable speculating, I swear I see several puffs of black/brown smoke behind the a/c in both videos (I've watched repeatedly). I don't know anything about F18s, but I would imagine having a power loss on one engine while the other is full A/B while pitched straight up at low altitude would be really bad...

Edit: and slow...
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In terms of the loss of thrust/acceleration from one engine loss?
 
Toobdrvr said:
While I don't feel comfortable speculating, I swear I see several puffs of black/brown smoke behind the a/c in both videos (I've watched repeatedly).
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I have not flown the Hornet, but it isn't all that unusual to see little puffs of smoke out of the back of a fighter engine. Throttle bursts, air density changes, nozzle movements, going in or out of burner...all can make such things.

So, in and of itself, that's not a "smoking gun", so to say.
 
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