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The crash, the worst in the Thunderbirds' 29-year history, shocked the fraternity of hot-fighter pilots everywhere, plunged the team's home field at Nellis into mourning, mystified those looking for causes and left the Thunderbirds' future in uncertainty. 19 0 obj Former demonstration unit members still on active duty were recalled to help rebuild the squadron. See also the F-16.net Forum discussions: Thunderbird crash accident report released, Thunderbird crash 14 Sep 2003 and Thunderbird crash photo (head-on) . <> Government officials said it was too early to tell what long-term effect the crash would have on stunt flying by military pilots. Air Force officials did not know today. [3] The pilots were practicing the four-plane line abreast loop, in which the aircraft climb in side-by-side formation several thousand feet, pull over in a slow, backward loop, and descend at more than 400mph. The other pilots, in accordance with their training, did not break formation. stream stream 15 0 obj WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio facebook feed(Opens a new window), WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio twitter feed(Opens a new window), WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio youtube feed(Opens a new window), NewsCenter 7 had rare access to Thunderbirds just weeks before crash, PHOTOS: Thunderbird flips on its top at Dayton Air Show, Bride killed, groom critically injured after wedding reception when drunken driver hits golf cart, This cant be real; Friends, school staff remember Northmont senior killed in Sunday crash, Family of 7-year-old missing from Eastwood MetroPark asks for prayers as search is suspended, Transgender woman found not guilty on charges related to using female locker room at Xenia YMCA, 7 bodies discovered during search for 2 missing Oklahoma teens, EEOC Statement for WHIO-TV and WHIO-AM/FM. endobj Earl Dibbles Jr.) - Granger Smith. The "Diamond Crash," as it was later called, led to the Thunderbirds upgrading their T-38s to the frontline F-16A "Fighting Falcon" jet fighter, built by General Dynamics, for their performances. The 1982 Diamond Crash was the worst operational accident to befall the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Team involving show aircraft. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); [1] Four Northrop T-38 Talon jets crashed during operational training on 18 January 1982, killing all four pilots. F-16 Thunderbird pilot Maj. Stephen Del Bagno, 34, lost consciousness for about five seconds prior to crashing his fighter jet at a speed of 39,750 feet per minute (just over 450 mph), according to. The opinions of our members are not those of site ownership who maintains strict editorial agnosticism and simply provides a collaborative venue for free expression. The Thunderbirds were practicing at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field, Nevada (now Creech Air Force Base) for a performance at DavisMonthan AFB, Arizona. "They were going full tilt, really screaming, and at the time I thought they were too low.". Mark E. Malancon, the slot pilot. The jets crashed almost simultaneously with what near-by Indian Springs residents described as an earthquake-like explosion that looked like a napalm bomb. <> What if it was China who blew up the Nord Stream Pipeline ? D l1A !Cxf0DD3l^i6FB!endstream Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. stream Road closed due to construction work on Stahlheber Rd both ways from US-27 Millville Oxford Rd to Boyle Rd. <> 61 0 obj <> September 8, 1981: Lieutenant Colonel David L. Smith killed during take off. All four pilots were killed instantly. To start with, we have to look at September 8, 1981. The first F-16A Fighting Falcon in Thunderbird colors arrived at Nellis AFB, Nevada, on 22 June 1982. It was on this day in 1982 (40 years ago) that the USAF Thunderbirds suffered its worst accident in team history. A new leader, Major Norman Lowry, had already been selected by the Air Force to command the team after Smith. For tonight's trip into the Wayback Machine, we're going to look at the 1982 Thunderbirds crash. Less than one second later, Major Lowry plunged past the 800-foot ''no return'' point in a 45-degree dive. stream He entered the loop too low causing the diamond four-ship formation almost to hit the ground as happened in 1982, when the whole Thunderbirds T-38 formation crashed killing all four pilots. But Captain Cook, who flies one of the Thunderbirds' solo roles and had returned to his base at Nellis when the crash occurred, said that in formation flying each pilot is constantly checking his instruments, the other planes and the surroundings. <> edit on 5/10/2014 by Zaphod58 because: (no reason given). the crash. So sad though original sound - Aviation . Major Lowry, 37 years old, was restrained by a shoulder harness at the top of the loop as he flew at 161 miles per hour at 6,692 feet. Dale Cook, one of two survivors of the current group of Thunderbirds, said this afternoon at the Nellis base. What went wrong in the second half of the loop was the aerobatic equivalent of a car's trying to take a curve too fast. 2 0 obj I got to refuel The Thunderbirds were practicing for an air show on March 13 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. Subscribe: http://smarturl.it/AssociatedPress\r\rhttp://www.ap.org/\rhttps://plus.google.com/+AP/\rhttps://www.facebook.com/APNews\rhttps://twitter.com/AP 49 0 obj <> 1.7K Likes, 33 Comments. The one farther east hit the ground first. Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker. Multiple people dead after dust storm causes pileup on Illinois highway, Tucker Carlson Say If You Question WTC7 You Lose Your Job, Who Remembers this Pandemic Drill Exercise -Event 201- from Oct 2019, Trans Gender as the new population control, KISS's PAUL STANLEY Weighs In On Debate Over Gender-Affirming Care For Minors. The planes were meant to level off at about 100 feet (30m); Instead, the formation struck the ground at high speed.[4]. Categories Video Jet Fighters Shock and Awe Crash Landings Aviation Accidents Air. "[2], Construction worker George LaPointe watched the jets disappear behind tree tops, "They didn't come back up," he said. I've refueled just about every plane out there and I can tell you my absolute favorite was the thunderbirds. It was a ball of flame, just like a napalm bomb.". "They were going full tilt, really screaming, and at the time I thought they were too low. endobj Technical Sergeant Alfred R. King filmed the accident from the ground. D P0AaDh4 pp rC#^FFbLfao&1aLw Thunderbirds Eject/Crash -- How It Happened AVweb 219K subscribers Subscribe 3.2K Share Save 1.7M views 15 years ago AVweb's Glenn Pew http://www.glennpew.com takes a look at the factors. %PDF-1.3 "They were going full tilt, really screaming, and at the time I thought they were too low. Luckily, Smith and Staff Sgt Dwight Roberts, 31, the crew chief riding tandem behind him, both ejected from the plane. D l1A !Cxd8F/4FB!endstream stream D l1A !Cxp1E3l^i6aCx6endstream "It happened so fast I couldn't tell you if one hit sooner. D l1A !Cxn5!3l^i6B!endstream The aircraft experienced a structural failure of the horizontal stabilizer. Major Norm Lowry Captain Willie Mays Captain Mark Melancon Captain Pete Peterson D l1A !Cx" 1`bIi"endstream endobj January 18, 1982 A New Leader. The Diamond taking off from Nellis AFB on the day of the mishap. The four-abreast loop is not considered as dangerous as some other air show maneuvers, such as the "bomb burst," where the planes race toward one another from different directions and then shoot high into the sky. 2023 Cox Media Group. Cajun Yesterday, we lost one of our own. October 9, 1958: 19 people are killed when the teams cargo plane crashes, making it the worst accident in Thunderbird history. endobj Joseph Peterson, 32, of Tuskegee, Ala., who flew as right wing, and Capt. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. (DC) Scenes of section's recovery shown. An Air Force spokesman at the Nellis base, home of the Thunderbirds, said the wingtips are only about six feet apart when the abreast loop is performed at an air show but are farther apart during practice sessions. The planes were meant to level off at about 100 feet (30m); instead, the formation struck the ground at high speed. The first F-16A Fighting Falcon in Thunderbird colors arrived at Nellis AFB, Nevada, on 22 June 1982. stream April 6, 1961: Major Robert S. Fitzgerald . 18, 1982, during training at indian springs. The latest crash marks the third mishap for the thunderbirds in the last three years. 1y6lendstream _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); Morgan Smith, spokesman for the Blue Angels, the Navy counterpart to the Thunderbirds, expressed shock over the crash but said there was ''no indication at this time'' that military stunt flying would be halted. They were supposed to pull out of the loop 100 to 200 feet above the ground. 05:32:40 pm 05:34:40 pm. Deadly Thunderbirds crash marks 4th U.S. military aircraft crash this week CBS Evening News 1.64M subscribers 383 110K views 4 years ago The famed Thunderbirds are grounded after a pilot. The four planes went into the loop in a row, wingtip to wingtip, and zoomed toward the earth at about 400 miles an hour. We'll if it wasn't for the price tagthat would be a sexy looking thunderbird. stream D l1A !Cxj2 3l^i6!endstream stream September 14, 2003: Captain Chris Stricklin ejects during aSplit S maneuver during an airshow at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool. The "Diamond Crash" occurred on Jan. 18, 1982, at Indian Springs when four Thunderbird pilots. It bothered all of us in big waysmay they all rest in peaceAt least it was quick and no pain. "[2], Construction worker George LaPointe watched the jets disappear behind tree tops, "They didn't come back up," he said. Video shows Thunderbirds performing shortly before a jet crashed south of Colorado Springs after a flyover for the Air Force Academy graduation where President Barack Obama had spoken. Anyone can read what you share. ''It's way too early to talk about that.'' endobj 13 0 obj Me thinking its gonna be a normal airshow | These mfs show up: End Of Line but better - _King_Dingus_. In another 1.3 seconds, Thunderbird One hit the ground tail first at 478 m.p.h. A malfunction in the lead plane was blamed. In this "line abreast" loop, three of the four pilots key their moves to those of the plane to the left. <>>>/Parent 826 0 R>> stream REPORTER: Frank Reynolds. D l1A !Cx`1 3l^i6!endstream It looked like all of them hit at the same time. Transgender reporter inadvertently proves she's pushing 'porn' for children in public schools, Mayor Lori Lightfoot finally said: "Chicago is full", Kim Jong-uns Sister Mocks Bidens Senility. Passenger Technical Sargent Kenneth Cordova is trapped during the crash but uninjured. 53 0 obj Germans Take Muslim Kids Forcefully From Parents For LGBT . Left lane closed due to construction work on I-75 Southbound between Exit 69 Cr-25A and Exit 64 Northwoods Blvd. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. March 12, 1959: Captain C. D. "Fish" Salmon killed during solo training. Einstein's Universe: Understand Theory of General Relativity 1979 (by Peter Ustinov), 70 percent of men would rather die early, than give up red meat, If You Could Read My Mind - RIP Gordon Lightfoot. ''These boys were ours. original sound - Aviation. Hammond said the thunderbirds crash was the squadron's first since september 2003 when capt. '', The four planes, he said, stayed in formation all the way down, and at impact looked like exploding napalm. Range 65 is now referred to as "The Gathering of Eagles Range" - an annual aviation event that encourages the study of aviation history and the contributions of aviation pioneers at Air Command and Staff College. stream When youre driving & see this next to you Highway to Hell - AC/DC. Col. Mike Wallace, public affairs officer at the Nellis base. 59 0 obj For tonight's trip into the Wayback Machine, we're going to look at the 1982 Thunderbirds crash. Seconds later, the plane's nose was pointed straight down in a 90-degree dive. A memorial in honor of the fallen is located on the western wall of the North Las Vegas Police Department's headquarters. TikTok video from plane dude (@aviationchaser): "I cant imagine how many accidents the thunderbirds have caused #fyp#avgeek#texas". 1982 Thunderbirds Indian Springs Diamond Crash, The deadliest Thunderbird accident was the crash of a team support, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Team, "Misjudgment held 'possible' in fatal Thunderbirds crash", "Air Force finds mechanical failure led to crashes of flying team", "The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, Turn 50, Part One", "Partial Videotape Erasure of 1982 Air Force Thunderbirds Crash (GAO/NSIAD-84-153)", Link access to USAF Mishap Investigation Report re 18 January 1982 "Diamond Accident", Thunderbirds Indian Springs "Diamond Crash", British Army Gazelle friendly fire incident, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1982_Thunderbirds_Indian_Springs_Diamond_Crash&oldid=1119514540, Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1982, 20th-century history of the United States Air Force, Accidents and incidents involving United States Air Force aircraft, Aviation accidents and incidents in Nevada, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 November 2022, at 00:14. !N"A&9G)12/ 2S#;I;T,4\'Ntw]R$I#T")dtF4PMcDd4CAJTL}x0(]lS[S%c1IA@'lU38E0H@4 *"cPg#NOt43+uyE\>6"Es'b,2fP1^-S.S#9x?Y$qmNrFCgCWvhwQ)KKk '7;#7v6 f.p[`p@W8g)*=+";/Z#fPGG6H+-0;iBbo8~r^d>3ChkP bV\O dC 0l!E^v`CdqdCFO!GQX% [6], "At the speed they were going when they came out of the loop, I just thought, "That's the end of that for them fellows,'" said W. G. Wood of Indian Springs, who witnessed the crash as he drove along 95. Stricklin has only minor injuries and no one on the ground is injured. <> 55 0 obj Washington, DC / Air Crash Aftermath. In 2005, Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field officially changed its name to Creech Air Force Base in honor of General Wilbur L. Bill Creech, who was known as the father of the Thunderbirds., Copyright 2002 Check SixThis page last updated Wednesday, July 01, 2015. By William K. Stevens, Special To the New York Times, To master jet jockeys like the Air Force Thunderbirds, it is not considered a particularly difficult maneuver: Four T-38 Talon jets whistle along at 400 miles an hour and 100 feet above the ground, wingtip to wingtip in a formation called ''line abreast.''. Crashed during airshow. endobj "Just as they pulled out of the dive, all four of them hit the ground," he said. The mechanical failure involved a jammed stabilizer, the component that keeps a plane steady in flight, on the tail of Thunderbird One, the T-38 training jet being flown by Maj. Norman L. Lowry 3d, the Air Force said in a report released earlier this month. The 1982 Diamond Crash was the worst operational accident to befall the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Team involving show aircraft. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Air_Force_Thunderbirds He had hit the first half of the loop at 448 m.p.h. The crash, the worst in the Thunderbirds' 29-year history, shocked the fraternity of hot-fighter pilots everywhere, plunged the team's home field at Nellis into mourning, mystified those looking . (June 2). Normally, he said, a pilot would not follow his leader to disaster ''because you monitor everything.'' D l1A !Cxk3l^i6F"!endstream endobj Four Air Force Thunderbird aerobatic jets failed to pull out of a loop and slammed into the Nevada desert outside Las Vegas yesterday, killing all four pilots in the worst disaster of its kind. Killed in Monday's crash besides Major Lowry, a 36-year-old Virginian who grew up in Rantoul, Ill., were Capt. The Thunderbirds are in a way not well spoken of by some people here in the U.K. People don't understand when they see the creees lining up and Willie Mays, 32, of Riply, Tenn., who was left wing when the Thunderbirds flew in the ''diamond'' formation that was their trademark; Capt. stream Captain Pete Peterson was buried in Culpepper National Cemetery, VA, in Section G, Site 1114, and Captain Willie Mays was buried in his hometown of Ripley, Tennessee. Kelso's description made it sound as if the pilots almost made it out of their loop. B4d&U h7 K!Ns@|(* INDIAN SPRINGS, Nev., Jan. 18, 1982 At 0923 PST, four T-38A's ( 68-8156, 8175, 8176 & 8184) from an Air Force Thunderbirds Team crashed, one after another, into the Nevada desert, killing all four pilots. October 9, 1958: 19 people are killed when the team's cargo plane crashes, making it the worst accident in Thunderbird history. But Major Lowry was in a 26-degree dive. endobj endobj [2] Four T-38As, Numbers 14, comprising the basic diamond formation, hit the desert floor almost simultaneously on Range 65, now referred to as "The Gathering of Eagles Range". April 4, 2018: Major Stephen Del Bagno killed during a training flight. ''We're in a collective state of shock,'' said Lieut. D l1A !Cxd 1`bIl5 endstream All content copyright 2023, AboveTopSecret.com. A photographer who flew over the crash site at Indian Springs, about 40 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base, said the impact broke the T38 Talon trainer jets into tiny pieces, with the largest no larger than a car fender. 43 0 obj But it was too steep, too low and too fast at 489 m.p.h. #thunderbirds #f16 #pilot #airforce #viral #usa #pacificairshow #airshow". Video Shows Thunderbirds in Action Before Crash Associated Press 91K views 6 years ago WAVY Archive: Harborfest 1982 WAVY TV 10 3.1K views 6 years ago Rare Footage of Bird Crashing Into. (function() { 516K views 6 years ago On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration released audio from Major Alex Turner's F-16 crash from June 2nd, 2016. "The instant they hit, you knew they were dead.". A major military rationale for conducting such dangerous maneuvers is to kindle enthusiasm for air careers among young people. Instead of coming bac k to the starting point they slammed into the sun-baked earth, smearing four huge black streaks like parallel skidmarks across the tawny desert near the Indian Spring s auxiliary airfield, 40 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base. Eyewitnesses said a giant ball of flame shot into the sky after the four planes dove into the ground one after the other only yards apart at 1:43 p.m. EST. The fatal loop was the airborne equivalent of a backflip from a diving board. endobj stream Six Thunderbird planes fly for an air show - four flying in formation and two flying solo maneuvers. At the United States Air Force Academy, a T-38 painted in Thunderbirds color scheme is decidated to the team and its then-leader, Major Lowry. [9], Coordinates: 363518N 1154048W / 36.5884N 115.680W / 36.5884; -115.680. 25 0 obj stream While the sound didnt work, the video part did, and it would help the accident board determine the cause of the accident. endobj [5], Col. Mike Wallace, of the Public Information Office at nearby Nellis AFB, home of the demonstration team, said that Major General Gerald D. Larson, the head of an Air Force investigation board, arrived at Nellis that night. May 9, 1981: Captain Nick Hauck killed during an air show at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. 63 0 obj D l1A !Cx`.3l^i6b!endstream [47] [48] I saw this happen. They represented us. I cant imagine how many accidents the thunderbirds have caused . 33 0 obj stream June 23, 2017: Captain Erik Gonsalves injured during a landing prior to the Vectren Dayton Air Show. <> The Thunderbirds have flown in air shows in 50 states and 45 foreign countries and have been watched by 154 million people, according to the Air Force. The worst crash in Thunderbird history, dubbed the "Diamond Crash," came when four pilots crashed Jan. 18, 1982, during training at Indian Springs. July 25, 1977: Captain Charlie Carter killed during maneuvers at F. E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. D l1A !Cxh8fmDCx6endstream "Larson and a team of 10 to 15 experts are expected to spend three weeks studying the wreckage of the four T-38s the worst [training] crash in the 28-year history of the Air Force stunt flying team. 45 0 obj A T-38's radio button is on the throttle, but it is not known whether Major Lowry tried to warn his wingmen. stream Includes a cockpit view overlay. 29 0 obj January 9, 1969: Captain Jack Thurman killed during solo training. % And before I said that, it was over with. Flying jets in close formation is inherently dangerous, here is a look at the accidents from throughout Thunderbirds history. <> [4], The four pilots died instantly: Major Norm Lowry, III, leader, 37, of Radford, Virginia; Captain Willie Mays, left wing, 31, of Ripley, Tennessee; Captain Joseph "Pete" Peterson, right wing, 32, of Tuskegee, Alabama; and Captain Mark E. Melancon, slot, 31, of Dallas, Texas. 39 0 obj >> MORE: NewsCenter 7 had rare access to Thunderbirds just weeks. ''Fighter jocks,'' as the author Tom Wolfe called them in ''The Right Stuff,'' a book about test pilots and astronauts, are a proud bunch. 1982 USAF Thunderbirds Diamond Crash. No one is injured. [10], The Thunderbirds switched back to front-line jet fighters after the accident. Reconstruction of Events. 5 0 obj As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. At least the only one he talked about. endobj An Air Force Thunderbird crashes after being unable to pull up D f. The Air Force team, like the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels, had switched to smaller aircraft after the 1973 oil crisis. Absence of vital recorders reported Recorders said found in river, but not yet retrieved. .tiktok-ze5eiw-SpanViews{-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;padding-right:12px;color:rgba(22, 24, 35, .75);}45K views|.tiktok-15ooo5t-H4Link{font-family:ProximaNova,Arial,Tahoma,PingFangSC,sans-serif;font-weight:400;font-size:14px;line-height:20px;display:inline;color:rgba(22, 24, 35, .75);margin-left:12px;}.tiktok-15ooo5t-H4Link a{color:rgba(22, 24, 35, .75);}. <> January 19, 1982 Four Air Force Thunderbird aerobatic jets failed to pull out of a loop and slammed into the Nevada desert outside Las Vegas yesterday, killing all four pilots in the worst. D l1A !Cx`9FB/4`!endstream Behind the scenes at Thunderbird training. 51 0 obj Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. This made it all the more tragic for those who saw the planes plunge into the desert on the clear day. Mark E. Melancon, 31, born in Dallas and raised in Dayton, Ohio, who flew the slot position. The Thunderbirds next flew a public demonstration in early 1983, more than 18 months after their last public air show. Just YouTube thunderbirds grand forks and you can see a video from the tankers point of view. ''This is a devastating blow to us.''. TikTok video from Realtor Ryan (@rryanbowman): "Thunderbirds #thunderbirds #usaf #usairforce #airshow #veterans #realtorryan". [5 0 R 7 0 R 9 0 R 11 0 R 13 0 R 15 0 R 17 0 R 19 0 R 21 0 R 23 0 R 25 0 R 27 0 R 29 0 R 31 0 R 33 0 R 35 0 R 37 0 R 39 0 R 41 0 R 43 0 R 45 0 R 47 0 R 49 0 R 51 0 R 53 0 R 55 0 R 57 0 R 59 0 R 61 0 R 63 0 R 65 0 R 67 0 R 69 0 R 71 0 R] Xd4!q\81y3 endstream TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. "Larson and a team of 10 to 15 experts are expected to spend three weeks studying the wreckage of the four T-38s the worst [training] crash in the 28-year history of the Air Force aerial demonstration team. RYcR!dUT8J=$n1 3}X*Yl|\tf0Hh6oFe9*u\\2UG#a_7rf5}8m6NG6GFS>lj~xiBRc:m%*9'an2c+A0dBK-i@,;2Df March 12, 1959: Captain C. D.Fish Salmon killed during solo training. 57 0 obj Black digits on the altimeter stopped increasing, hung for a moment, then reversed direction and began decreasing, which is normal for an aircraft that has just gone from climbing to leveling to diving. endobj "[2], The airframes involved were all T-38A-75-NO Talons, serial numbers 68-8156, -8175, -8176 and -8184.[7]. All of the pilots had been assigned to the aerobatics team for less than two years. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. stream The four "Diamond" aircraft, Thunderbirds #1, 2, 3, and 4 (tail numbers 68-8156, 8175, 8176 & 8184), were training for an air show at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. Today, we remember and celebrate the life of Maj. Stephen Del Bagno. In Air Force shows, four Thunderbirds fly in formation and two others conduct solo stunts. At the time of the destruction, the families of the pilots and NBC had already demanded access to the tapes as part of a suit against Northrop and a FOIA request, respectively. stream Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. because it's all apart of who they, they are proud of what they represent so why joke about. ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? <> 3 0 obj Here's a toast. 27 0 obj 21 0 obj https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/20/us/for-thunderbirds-shock-and-doubt.html, William K. Stevens, Special To the New York Times. It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker. 9 0 obj Accident Captain Melancon was buried in Dallas along his father, Air Force Major James Melancon, who died Sept. 24, 1957, when the B-26 he was piloting crashed in a residential area near Dayton, Ohio. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. At 670 feet, the jet was still in a 40-degree dive. TikTok video from Alex Kowtun (@alexkowtun): "The Air Force Thunderbirds doing Thunderbirds things!! Any multi aircraft display team I find impressive whether <> Jack Sullivan, a civilian who saw the crash with his nephew, Tom, said: ''Maybe two seconds before they got to the bottom of the loop I said to Tom, 'They're just not going to make it.' it's the Tbirds the RAF the Italians etc the skill in the flying is superb, The Above Top Secret Web site is a wholly owned social content community of. Survivors : 1(all) | USAF Thunderbird 6 Crash | Passengers : 0 | ( ) - Molchat Doma. Everything they do is coordinated, Mark E. Melancon, 31, of Dallas. stream On this day in 1982, the four T-38 Talons that made up the Diamond Formation crashed during a practice over Indian . Yesterday's crashes were the worst ever experienced by Air Force or Navy aerobatic teams. endobj A videotape of the last flight and analysis by experienced fighter pilots, present and former Thunderbird members, engineers and aircraft investigators have made it possible to reconstruct the moments just before the crash. 31 0 obj Today marks 40 years since the infamous Diamond Crash. The crash opened public debate on such federally-funded aerial exhibition teams, Some argued that groups like the Thunderbirds were "hot-shot stunt pilots" who were spending too much of the taxpayers' dollars, and risking lives in the process. <> #militarylife". He told air traffic controllers about engine. [3] The pilots were practicing the four-plane line abreast loop, in which the aircraft climb in side-by-side formation several thousand feet, pull over in a slow, inside loop, and descend at more than 400 miles per hour (640km/h).

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