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F-111 Lands "Wheels-Up" at Amberley |
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Wednesday, 19 July 2006 |
 F-111 Wheels-Up Landing at Amberley
It is reported that the F-111 fighter-bomber, serial number A8-143, from 1 SQN declared a PAN at 11.30am AEST with landing gear difficulties.
Amberley ATC stated that, on takeoff, one of the jet's wheels fell off.
The wheel is reported to have crashed into a Ford Falcon motor vehicle
parked near the end of the runway.
The
aircraft circled over Ipswich and Moreton Bay East of Amberley to burn off fuel
before an attempt was made to land at Amberley.
A RAAF spokesman says one of the options was to ditch the plane into the ocean and for the crew to eject prior to ditching.
The F-111 does not have a good history of safe ejections.
Another option was to try to land the aircraft on one wheel
risking that the aircraft's undercarriage gear would dig into the tarmac causing
the airframe to twist with unpredictable results.
A final decision was made to attempt a wheels-up landing with deck hook down and emergency crews on standby.
In the hours following the initial alert aircrew from 82 Wing worked
through scenarios in the F-111 simulator and in the air to determine the
lowest risk recovery.
Around 2:00pm AEST the plane hit the runway's wire with deck hook down at low speed.
Flames, sparks
and smoke pouring out from behind the jet, before it quickly ground to a
halt.
Following normal operating procedures for such an event, the newly
converted Flight Lieutenant pilot and the seasoned Squadron Leader navigator leaped out of the cockpit
and ran
away from the aircraft while fire fighters covered the aircraft with
foam.
Group Captain Leo Davies, Officer Commanding 82 Wing, praised the
aircrew's actions and the training that lead to this successful outcome.
An investigation has been held to determine the cause of the wheel falling off the aircraft on takeoff.
The Brisbane Courier Mail reported that a retaining pin had been fitted incorrectly. Three other F-111 aircraft were found with a similar error..
As far as can be determined, this is the first "wheels-up" landing of an F-111 for the RAAF.
For a video of an F-111 flying, click here.
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