Latest news with #F15D
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Passenger on F-15 ride-along ejected on runway, video shows
An F-15D Eagle flight that was apparently intended to be a reward for hard work ended up not getting off the ground, when its passenger was ejected while the fighter was still on the flight line. The video, posted Wednesday on the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, shows the immediate aftermath of the unusual on-the-ground ejection, as an F-15 from the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts slowly rolls down the flight line, away from a plume of smoke that was left behind by the ejection. The unfortunate airman who seconds before was its passenger, who the video's caption identifies as a recruiting officer for the wing, can be seen next to the flight line, seemingly struggling to his feet. Smoke left over from the ejection also trails out of the F-15's rear seat. According to a report by The War Zone, the 104th said the ground mishap occurred Tuesday afternoon and prompted a 36-hour safety standdown of all flight operations, which has now ended. There were apparently no injuries caused by the unexpected ejection, although one service member was sent to the hospital for an evaluation, the 104th said. The incident is now being investigated, the 104th said. Incentive flights like Tuesday's are regular occurrences, typically offered as a reward for service members who excelled at their job. On-the-ground ejections, however, are rare — but not unheard of. In 2019, a civilian going on a fly-along with the French Air Force was ejected from a Rafale B fighter jet during takeoff, injuring his back but not causing more serious harm. And in December 2022, an F-35B pilot conducting a quality check on a new jet was forced to punch out of the jet at ground level when its engine failed in a dramatic and alarming way. Video of that crash showed the fighter hovering close to the ground and descending, then bouncing, tipping forward and spinning around with its nose and wing touching the ground before the ejection. That incident led to a months-long delivery halt of new F-35s as engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney looked for a way to fix the engine vibration problem that led to that crash. Tuesday's mishap at the 104th, however, seems to have primarily prompted jokes and memes on web pages such as amn/nco/snco. One video, captioned 'The Simpsons predicted the future once again' and shared by the Facebook page Thursday shows the character Milhouse sitting in the cockpit of an F-15 at an air show, angrily pretending to conduct strafing runs and stabbing at the jet's controls — until he hits the wrong button and sends his ejection seat flying through the air. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
F-15 Ride-Along Passenger Accidentally Ejects From The Jet While On The Ground
A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle's left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by. An F-15 backseater from Barnes Ops tested its zero/zero ejection seat today (zero elevation and airspeed). It appears successful, but someone has some explaining to do. — Dale Stark (@DaleStarkA10) August 13, 2025 A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it's not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion. 'Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,' the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time. We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided. This is a developing story. Contact the author: howard@ Solve the daily Crossword
