Topic: Yo dude! Where's my jet aircraft's wheel?

[Jack Morris]

F-111 fleet grounded after crash landing
Email Print Normal font Large font July 18, 2006

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AdvertisementAn investigation into Australia's F-111 aircraft begins on Wednesday after the 26-strong fleet was grounded following an emergency landing in Brisbane by one of the ageing strike fighters.

The aircraft made a belly landing at the RAAF Amberley base west of Brisbane about 2.10pm (AEST) on Tuesday after losing a wheel on takeoff.

After circling the air base near Ipswich for almost three hours to burn off excess fuel, the jet came in to land, creating a plume of sparks as it slid on its belly along the tarmac.

The 29-year-old pilot had only graduated from the F-111 training course two weeks ago, but his 32-year-old crew member is considered one of the most experienced F-111 navigators.

Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said the grounding of the F-111 fleet was necessary to ensure there was nothing structurally wrong with the planes.

Air Marshall Geoff Shepherd said it was the first time a wheel had ever fallen off an F-111 in the 30-year flying history of the planes in Australia.

He said there were still no clues as to why the wheel fell off as the jet took off on a routine flight to Tenterfield in northern NSW.

RAAF Amberley's Group Captain Leo Davies believed it may only take weeks for the investigation to be completed.

"Defence's flying safety investigators, Boeing - as the primary contractor for F-111 maintenance - and a Melbourne-based team of engineers will head the investigation," he said.

"They will determine what happened and also assess how much work needs to be done and the time frame to get the aircraft back in the air again.

"They should make an assessment over the next few weeks."

Eight F-111s have crashed since they began operating in Australia in the 1970s, killing 10 crew.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-111

The Royal Australian Air Force is currently intending to replace its F-111 aircraft with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Remind me to call the Aussies and tell them don't use a 40 y.o. jet aircraft when the F-35 is available. 

[The Postman]

I wonder if we still have any spare parts lying around? I still remember when they were stationed up at Pease AFB.

[Dracho]

I saw an F-111 do something in the Gulf War that you would not believe.

At the time, I was in flight training in LaPorte Texas.  The LaPorte airport is only 5 miles from Ellington AFB (Where NASA flies out of) and the runways are nearly the same layout... only LaPorte has a 5000' runway, and Ellington has a 15000' runway.

During the ramp up to the Gulf War a lot of planes came through Ellington on the way to Iraq (And the 1st Cav loaded onto ships just down the road at Barber's Cut).

Well, one day we are at the airport and an F-111 flew into the patternm, mistaking the 5,000' runway at LaPorte for the runway at Ellington.  Son-of-a-gun if he didn't keep right on coming down and try to land.  He used the 5,000', he used the fence at the end of the runway, he used some runway taxi lights, and he used some of the street outside the airport.  I don't know what that guy was thinking, or if he ever flew again, but he landed that plane on 5,000' when it's supposed to take 8,000'.

Of course, you can't take one off on a runway that small, so eventually the AF came over, folded up the wings,  and towed it down the street the 5 miles to Ellington.

[Jack Morris]

 

What do you think they created roads next to runways for?  Helps to keep pilots from getting too embarassed.

[wulf111]

i heard many years ago here in columbus, ohio i think it was a 727 airliner that landed on the Ohio State University's airfield (Don Scott Airfield) mistaking it for port Columbus it was able to land safely but there was no way it would ever get back in the air as heavy as it was, the FAA and the airline came in and stripped everything possible off the airliner to lighten so it could take off on the short field (10,000 ft?)i bet it was kind of funny seeing all those seats and stuff being loaded on trucks. the plane did barely make it off the short field and with only 20 minutes of fuel it needed to get to Columbus



found a story on what happened

The largest unexpected visitor to the airport was the mistaken landing of a TWA Boeing 707 airliner in 1967. The plane's pilot radioed Port Columbus Airport of its intended landing, but had mistakenly assessed the Ohio State Airport as its target.

Everyone involved was very surprised as the 707 landed with no radio contact at Ohio State Airport; the jet expected at Port Columbus suddenly disappeared from their radar screen, and passengers and crew expecting to arrive at Port Columbus emerged from the airliner to find themselves at a different location. All passengers and baggage were shuttled to Port Columbus, and galley equipment and seats inside the 707 had to be removed before the craft was light enough to take off from the shorter runways at Ohio State Airport.

[Jack Morris]

Did they get free tickets for another future flight? 

[Just plain old Punisher]

I wonder where they get parts and service for their airplanes. The F-111 hasn't been in service in the US for quite some time.

[Jack Morris]

Probably the Nevada scrapheap and mothball area.