T-38 crash, both pilots punch....

[GX]

If that is the one I'm thinking of (and I think it is), I wouldn't really call that a partial ejection (at least in the way I think of the term).....he ejected into the ground when the jet rolled/departed at 600' AGL. So well outside of the envelope unfortunately.

IIRC, I read that the ejection seat was 1/3 of the way out of the cockpit. Not the case? From seeing it from the tower (I was on Ground that evening), he never ejected.

 

[GX]

Got it...in other words, delayed ejection or ejection out of the envelope.

That's what they're classified as? "Out of the envelope"?

 

[99driver]

I think I just got think I got dumber after reading that I read that article.
Where was the editor!?
Glad both pilots made it!

 

[///AMG]

IIRC, I read that the ejection seat was 1/3 of the way out of the cockpit. Not the case? From seeing it from the tower (I was on Ground that evening), he never ejected.

That very well could have been. I just meant that when I think partial ejection, I think of a scenario like the A-6 where the seat actually didn't function properly. In this example, I think it only made it partway out of the airplane because it only had time to get that far before it went into the dirt with the poor guy in it.

 

[Pilot Fighter]

I think the seat broke loose due to fatigue.

 

[GX]

I had heard about that incident, but don't know a lot about it; ref the KA-6 incident.

Here's a good read on it. From all aspects. http://www.gallagher.com/ejection_seat/technical_aspects.htm

 

[Pilot Fighter]

That's what they're classified as? "Out of the envelope"?

Yes, ejection envelope is limited by airspeed, altitude, attitude, and rate of descent. If you eject outside the envelope, your chances of a safe ejection are minimized.