Thai Gripen Down: Pilot Killed

Looked like something broke or jammed really badly. I assume they have bird-proof canopies. Virtually no chance to punch out.

 

Yes, it appeared that he never rolled over from inverted and did a slow split-S

 

Maybe gloc?

 

All he was doing was rolling and that should not cause GLOC.

 

Agreed. He wasn't doing anything that would produce any G. It looks like he stopped in the inverted part of the roll and let the airplane fall out of it. Or as Taz said, something else happened to the airplane.

 

Are you guys watching the same video I just saw? He is smokin straight down show line, banks to 80+ degrees and completes a loaded turn through 70-80 degrees of heading change based on showing us the butt-end of the jet and does so in 2-3 seconds (yielding a plausible max instantaneous turn rate). Then the plane appears to unload entirely as it flies into the ground. GLOC is totally a plausible explanation.

 

Agreed

 

I can not see all the tight turns of which you speak. So, I think that you have a more clear picture than I have. I simply see him flying the show line.

 

All I see is a simple roll followed by a nose down attitude.

 

Looks that way to me as well.

 

I don't speak of any tight turnS...just one tight turn over about 2 seconds where we go from seeing the Grippen delta wing in planform to looking at the back of the jet mostly. That's all it takes to GLOC. But we all see what we see and only some get it right. I could be wrong, but I'm certain about what I see.

 

Don't pilots (esp acrobatic) prepare for G-Loc? Do the 'exercise'.

Whatever, it didn't look like it was a sustained G maneuver. It didn't look like that violent a turn.

Sorry if this sounds simplistic.

 

When I was doing air shows at Abottsford I became friends with two of the Golden Centenaries ( became Snow Birds). One of them was the solo pilot who routinely pulled 7-8 G maneuvers without a G suit. He opened with a 360 degree turn in afterburner that stayed within the perimeter of the airport. The grunting and gritting worked about 3/4 of the way around and then he said that he grayed out and the rest was done on reflexes or memory and he regained vision as he was climbing away. This would never be permitted now. He busted his physical the next year and had to quit flying. This to me is what can cause a G induced loss of consciousness even when doing "the exercises."

 

The "exercise", I presume, is the Anti-G Straining Maneuver or AGSM. Yes, any pilot who is preparing for a high-G turn should be on his AGSM before the G comes on. Once the G is on, and if the onset rate is high enough, it may be too late to avoid GLOC. A turn is a turn. They don't typically look violent. Aileron rolls look violent but they are very low stress, physiologically. A level turn entered at 400-450 knots and at max instantaneous G for an unprepared pilot translates to a very abrupt and possibly everlasting nap.

I used to do this stuff every day and investigated GLOC mishaps for the AF for years. I was THE test pilot for every G-suit used in Typhoon, F-22, F-35 and flew just about every other design of significance used around the world. I don't know much, but Gs I know well.

I don't really know what happened here, obviously, as we all speculate until some report comes out. And regarding that, who knows what a Thai report will say when you have the Air Marshall of the Thai AF saying we have to be careful not to offend the aircraft manufacturer or embarrass the reputation of the pilot. I'm underwhelmed.

Having seen many GLOCs, some with my students out in front...this is just what they look like. That's why I would still bet GLOC above any other issue. Jammed controls, disorientation in a roll, all that stuff makes way less sense. Just my $0.02

 

I respect your experience and comments. I also realize that what a grainy fuzzy video does not accurately show the situation.

 

I know. I just wanted to comment on the idea that something needs to look "wild" or "aggressive" in order to be demanding on the pilot and that this is simply untrue. A high aspect turn entry at 480 KIAS can produce 9G in a second and put a pilot to sleep in a second or two. Unless you're in the seat, it looks just like another level turn. There's nothing wild about it.

 

Will- Sorry, looked at it again, and I just do not see any high g maneuvers in the video at the top of the thread. I get GLOC, the F-16 guys tried it on me a few times for fun. But at 5'7" and with moderately high blood pressure and years of pulling g (not 9, though), it never worked, even at 9 g.

 

That's okay...makes no difference. The guy still died and we are just speculating on the cause. I see why you guys think he's doing some type of roll. The line of site changes between 4 and 6 seconds tell me a different story.

 

With the quality of the video it is hard to tell what the pilot was doing half the time it looks like a roll other times like a turn. seems like all the videos all show this same clip hard to believe there was not more cameras pointed at the sky to give a better or different view.