Pilot makes emergency landing

[Vulture6]

Pilot makes emergency landing
Submitted by: MCAS Iwakuni
Story Identification #: 200492214922
Story by Cpl. Robert W. Wynkoop



Marines from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 recover their F/A-18D after it performed an arrested landing on two wheels, Aug. 27. Photo by: Lance Cpl. Ruben D. Calderon

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, IWAKUNI, Japan (Aug. 27, 2004) -- A Marine All-weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 F/A-18D pilot performed an emergency, arrested landing on the flight line here, Aug. 27, at approximately 5 p.m. The pilot, along with his weapons and sensors operator, experienced a landing- gear malfunction and was forced to land the aircraft without the right-side landing gear.

Using a stationary arresting device that slows down landing aircraft with the use of a cable stretched across the runway, the pilot was able to safely land the $28 million aircraft.

According to VMFA(AW)-225 Executive Officer Maj. Steve Wilson, only minor damage was done to the right external fuel tank. The tank is replaceable and not considered part of the aircraft body.

The two pilots were alerted of the malfunction about 15 minutes prior to landing and notified flight line first responders of the situation.

A dozen Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Marines manned two P-19 fire trucks and one rescue vehicle in preparation for the emergency landing, said Sgt. Darryl Dickerson, ARFF, assistant section leader.

“They’re out here training and this is where it pays off,” Gunnery Sgt. Danny Ortiz, ARFF crash chief said about the Marines given the real world situation.

Once the pilots were safely out of the aircraft, VMFA(AW)-225 maintenance crews lifted the aircraft with a crane and manually opened the landing gear. The aircraft was later towed back to the squadron’s hangar for an intensive inspection to determine the cause of the malfunction.

[Grimmy]

One seriously tough airframe in that line of birds, eh?

[USMCRET6391]

the F-18 has a great glide path and relatively slow landing speed, that and what obviously a very skilled pilot helped to keep the damage to a minimum