Fórum Defesa Brasil

Pilot, not oxygen system, blamed in F-22 crash

By Dave Majumdar - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 14, 2011 19:51:48 EST


Capt. Jeffrey Haney, who died in the November 2010 crash, joined the Air Force in 2003.

An Air Force accident investigation board report blames the Nov. 16, 2010, crash of an F-22 Raptor on Capt. Jeff “Bong” Haney — despite a malfunction of the jet’s bleed air intakes, which caused an automatic shutdown of multiple aircraft systems including the primary oxygen system.

An aircraft’s engine bleed air system extracts air from a jet engine’s compressor section to generate power and supply gases for an aircraft’s life support system, among other systems.

The AIB report confirms Air Force Times’ Sept. 8 report, in which an industry source and a pilot both said that a bleed air malfunction had caused the crash by shutting down the oxygen system. The AIB, however, places the blame on Haney for not reacting quickly enough to activate the jet’s emergency oxygen system or recover from a dive he inadvertently entered into as he struggled to regain his air supply.

“I find the cause of the mishap was the MP’s [mishap pilot] failure to recognize and initiate a timely dive recovery due to channelized attention, breakdown of visual scan and unrecognized spatial disorientation,” wrote Brig. Gen. James Browne, president of the AIB.

The F-22’s On-board Oxygen Generating System, which supplies breathing air to the pilot and has been under investigation for most of the year, did not malfunction and wasn’t a contributing factor, the report said. But the crucial device did shut down because of the bleed-air problem. In September, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said oxygen had not played any role in the crash.

The report notes that “the MP most likely experienced a sense similar to suffocation,” but also rules out hypoxia as contribution factor however despite the shut down of the oxygen system.

“Due to the high affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin, the MP would have had adequate blood oxygen supply after the OBOGS failed,” the AIB report states. “It was concluded that the late recognition of the MA’s [mishap aircraft’s] unusual attitude and appropriate corrective actions attempted by the MP demonstrates that hypoxia was not a factor in this mishap.”

A knowledgeable source agreed that Haney would not have fully succumbed to hypoxia, but would have been showing symptoms. Despite what the report says, the source said hypoxia would have played a role even if the pilot had not been rendered unconscious.

“The rate at which he descended, though, he would have been at a hypoxia-safe altitude within time to have not fully succumbed to hypoxia and should have only had symptoms versus unconsciousness,” the source said.

The environmental control system, air cycle system, On-Board Inert Gas Generating System, cabin pressure and OBOGS were all shut down when the aircraft’s computer shut off the malfunctioning bleed-air system, according to the AIB report. The bleed-air system remains closed in the event of a malfunction to prevent fires.

The aircraft’s memory unit showed “partial pressure to the MP’s [mishap pilot] oxygen stopped shortly after 19:42:37 L, which would lead to severely restricted breathing,” the accident report reads.

However, Haney did retain enough consciousness to attempt a recovery from a steep dive the aircraft entered into right before the crash. It was too late, however, as the Raptor impacted the ground a scant three seconds later.

However, Haney did not manage to active the Emergency Oxygen System to supply him with air, which he needed to do in case the OBOGS shutdown. As the report notes “severely restricted breathing is a physiological symptom which would have prompted the [mishap pilot] to active the EOS.”

Pilots have said that the emergency oxygen supply is notoriously difficult to use in the Raptor.

The AIB report states that as Haney struggled for air, “he channelized his attention on restoring airflow to his oxygen mask.”

As Haney fought to restore his oxygen supply, he inadvertently began to roll the aircraft and his “visual scan” of the aircraft’s instruments and external situation broke down. He entered into a state of “unrecognized spatial disorientation,” according to the AIB report. The aircraft rolled 240 degrees and dropped to a 53 degree nose down attitude. Had Haney not been distracted by trying to breathe, he would have recognized the problem, the report reads. Haney didn’t make any intentional control inputs for some 39 seconds.

“The fact that the [mishap pilot] went from a controlled flight regime to an unusual attitude and did not take corrective actions for 30 seconds suggests he had unrecognized spatial disorientation,” the AIB report reads. “At 19:42:24L the [mishap pilot] recognized the [mishap aircraft’s] position and attempted to perform a dive recovery.”

Ultimately, the Air Force chose to blame Haney rather than attribute the crash to a malfunctioning bleed-air system and a difficult to use emergency oxygen supply.

“The defence cooperation is robust and excellent. Our two countries have developed maturity that individual deals will not affect the ties,”

Carlos Mathias escreveu:

“The defence cooperation is robust and excellent. Our two countries have developed maturity that individual deals will not affect the ties,”

Isso é mentira!
Os russos não fazem ToTs, são cachaceiros, não fornecem manuais em ingrêis, são uns FDP...Esqueci alguma coisa?

Junker escreveu:O problema não é do F-22, é do piloto que não conseguia respirar. Vergonhoso!

Pilot, not oxygen system, blamed in F-22 crash

By Dave Majumdar - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Dec 14, 2011 19:51:48 EST


Capt. Jeffrey Haney, who died in the November 2010 crash, joined the Air Force in 2003.

An Air Force accident investigation board report blames the Nov. 16, 2010, crash of an F-22 Raptor on Capt. Jeff “Bong” Haney — despite a malfunction of the jet’s bleed air intakes, which caused an automatic shutdown of multiple aircraft systems including the primary oxygen system.

An aircraft’s engine bleed air system extracts air from a jet engine’s compressor section to generate power and supply gases for an aircraft’s life support system, among other systems.

The AIB report confirms Air Force Times’ Sept. 8 report, in which an industry source and a pilot both said that a bleed air malfunction had caused the crash by shutting down the oxygen system. The AIB, however, places the blame on Haney for not reacting quickly enough to activate the jet’s emergency oxygen system or recover from a dive he inadvertently entered into as he struggled to regain his air supply.

“I find the cause of the mishap was the MP’s [mishap pilot] failure to recognize and initiate a timely dive recovery due to channelized attention, breakdown of visual scan and unrecognized spatial disorientation,” wrote Brig. Gen. James Browne, president of the AIB.

The F-22’s On-board Oxygen Generating System, which supplies breathing air to the pilot and has been under investigation for most of the year, did not malfunction and wasn’t a contributing factor, the report said. But the crucial device did shut down because of the bleed-air problem. In September, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said oxygen had not played any role in the crash.

The report notes that “the MP most likely experienced a sense similar to suffocation,” but also rules out hypoxia as contribution factor however despite the shut down of the oxygen system.

“Due to the high affinity of oxygen to hemoglobin, the MP would have had adequate blood oxygen supply after the OBOGS failed,” the AIB report states. “It was concluded that the late recognition of the MA’s [mishap aircraft’s] unusual attitude and appropriate corrective actions attempted by the MP demonstrates that hypoxia was not a factor in this mishap.”

A knowledgeable source agreed that Haney would not have fully succumbed to hypoxia, but would have been showing symptoms. Despite what the report says, the source said hypoxia would have played a role even if the pilot had not been rendered unconscious.

“The rate at which he descended, though, he would have been at a hypoxia-safe altitude within time to have not fully succumbed to hypoxia and should have only had symptoms versus unconsciousness,” the source said.

The environmental control system, air cycle system, On-Board Inert Gas Generating System, cabin pressure and OBOGS were all shut down when the aircraft’s computer shut off the malfunctioning bleed-air system, according to the AIB report. The bleed-air system remains closed in the event of a malfunction to prevent fires.

The aircraft’s memory unit showed “partial pressure to the MP’s [mishap pilot] oxygen stopped shortly after 19:42:37 L, which would lead to severely restricted breathing,” the accident report reads.

However, Haney did retain enough consciousness to attempt a recovery from a steep dive the aircraft entered into right before the crash. It was too late, however, as the Raptor impacted the ground a scant three seconds later.

However, Haney did not manage to active the Emergency Oxygen System to supply him with air, which he needed to do in case the OBOGS shutdown. As the report notes “severely restricted breathing is a physiological symptom which would have prompted the [mishap pilot] to active the EOS.”

Pilots have said that the emergency oxygen supply is notoriously difficult to use in the Raptor.

The AIB report states that as Haney struggled for air, “he channelized his attention on restoring airflow to his oxygen mask.”

As Haney fought to restore his oxygen supply, he inadvertently began to roll the aircraft and his “visual scan” of the aircraft’s instruments and external situation broke down. He entered into a state of “unrecognized spatial disorientation,” according to the AIB report. The aircraft rolled 240 degrees and dropped to a 53 degree nose down attitude. Had Haney not been distracted by trying to breathe, he would have recognized the problem, the report reads. Haney didn’t make any intentional control inputs for some 39 seconds.

“The fact that the [mishap pilot] went from a controlled flight regime to an unusual attitude and did not take corrective actions for 30 seconds suggests he had unrecognized spatial disorientation,” the AIB report reads. “At 19:42:24L the [mishap pilot] recognized the [mishap aircraft’s] position and attempted to perform a dive recovery.”

Ultimately, the Air Force chose to blame Haney rather than attribute the crash to a malfunctioning bleed-air system and a difficult to use emergency oxygen supply.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/static/pro ... 121411.pdf

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2011/ ... d-121411w/

Ben Moritz - USAF escreveu: what this really means, is that by putting the blame on the pilot instead of the bleed air system, the family can't sue anyone (AF, Lockheed, parts supplier, etc.) and receive any more financial reimbursement for their loss. Definitely need to raise the BS flag.

Ted West escreveu: I wasn't going to comment, as I'm not a Raptordriver, but figure having seen the back seat of an F-15D, and knowing several F-22 pilots coupled with the fact I no longer have to say Mother-May-I to the troubled USAF leadership - I will say something. First, RIP Capt "Bong" Haney, I know it took a a helluva man to get to fly the Raptor although I didn't personally know you. Besides, if SECDEF Gates wanted to pick Gen Schwartz to break up the "Fighter Mafia" leading the AF, he also paved the way for allowing competition to go down a peg. Many don't want to say it bluntly, but the best academically and most skilled of UPT get the top cut of Fighters to fly operationally. When was it okay to let a #2...or later guy lead the Force? This sets precedence that it is okay to not be the absolute best. If Norty was so noble, he would Retire already to absorb true accountability due to the botch up of the Mortuary affairs at Dover putting all those bodies in a VA landfill during his reign. An AIB again declaring 'pilot error' seems like the standard CYA approach and is very insensitive to the Family and others involved. Maybe they do train to pull the emergency O. button, but do they really train to hold your breath like a Navy diver...The USAF is falling from grace quickly as prided with the highest standards and great 'attention to detail,' yet they are claiming to be so precise it is to a fault. I think Brig Gen Browne was probably just doing what he expected to keep his career over, rather than taking a selfless move and showing divine empathy to the family and brotherhood of the fallen Aviator.

Isaac Bell escreveu:Very, very disappointing. To Bong's family, our community knows your son was not at fault here. Our deepest sympathy and apologies go out to you.

Ben Jarvis escreveu: the problem caused the crash simple enough fix the problem. If it had not malfunctioned in the first place then this incident that has affected my family would not have happened shame on the Air Force for blaming the pilot, they should accept the fact that they made a problem and that it caused the events leading up to the crash.

Petry escreveu:O que é mais fácil por a culpa, num piloto já morto ou um componente ou aeronave que é o top do marketing e que precisa demosntrar que seu alto valor é justificável?

Oficialemnte no texto a culpa pode ser do piloto, mas aposto que nos bastidores todo mundo tem certeza que foi alguma falha mecânica ou de projeto.

J.Ricardo escreveu:Guilherme, a SAAB automóveis era uma empresa da antiga GM!