Two pilots had to abandon a turboprop training aircraft when they determined it would not be safe to attempt a controlled landing.
On Jan. 24, the crew of a Royal Canadian Air Force’s CT-156 Harvard II (the Royal Canadian AF version of the US built T-6 Texan II trainer) experienced what the RCAF calls a “controlled ejection” during their landing approach at 15 Wing Moose Jaw.
An issue with the turboprop landing gear had developed during the flight, and it led to the eventual “controlled ejection.” When the pilots realized they had a problem with the gear, a second aircraft from the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 15 Moose Jaw Wing launched from the Saskatchewan training air base to survey the issue. The observers in the second aircraft determined the problem could result in a dangerous landing attempt, so the Wing Operations decided that an ejection was the prudent course of action.
Both pilots walked safely from the incident and are being treated for very minor injuries. In the meantime, the flight training at the base has been paused pending further review of the incident and other safety procedures.
Winston Smith for the Aviationist
Image credit: Royal Canadian Air Force
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How absurd. Write off an aircraft rather than belly it in? Whoever forced that decision needs to be Court Marshalled.
Landing with one gear longer than the other? U could try that some time, un-simulated. :P
Maybe they couldn’t retract the gear. Some asymmetrical landing gear configurations are a no-no in some jets…Like an F-16 with only one Main Landing gear down
We don’t know the actual circumstances in which this decision was made. Maybe the aircraft was damaged to the point it was unsafe to land with. Right?
The observers in the second a/c determined the landing would be more dangerous. And it’s court “martialled”.
My bad, since I was never Court MARTIALLED myself, the spelling was a bit foreign to me. Whatever the gear configuration, its been done before. Burn the fuel off, land the damned airplane. I just don’t get it. I don’t care what the configuration of the gear is. It didn’t warrant writting off an entire aircraft.
The two pilots are probably more valuable than the aircraft. Certainly harder to replace.
Actual military pilots don’t comment on decision made in the air just like real surgeons don’t second guess operating decisions made on a table.
How do I know that you are neither a real pilot nor a brain surgeon.