Wirestrike Accident McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet 163455,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 187832
 
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Date:Thursday 2 June 2016
Time:15:10 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic F18H model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
Owner/operator:Blue Angels US Navy
Registration: 163455
MSN: 0669-C022
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport, Smyrna, TN -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Smyrna Airport, TN (MQY/KMQY)
Destination airport:Smyrna Airport, TN (MQY/KMQY)
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
A aircraft 6 of the USN Blue Angels Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron impacted powerlines and an open field off the departure end of Runway 14 at Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport (KMQY), Smyrna, Tennessee. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire. The sole pilot onboard the aircraft received fatal injuries.

Low cloud, tactical errors and fatigue were factors according to the Navy investigation. The Split-S maneuver was entered at 184 knots, where it should have been 125 to 135, and at 3,200 feet — 300 feet below the required altitude for the maneuver.

Officials are ordering changes that allow Blues pilots to more readily opt out of flying when they're not feeling ready, are reviewing all air show maneuvers and are reworking future air show schedules to give fliers more rest time.

The report states: "It is standard practice for the Blue Angels to update (supersede) their SOPs every year. Because there is no [SOP] archival system in place, the “who, what, where, when, and why” that initiated a change/modification/addition is lost. Case in point, the NFDS has no idea when, who, or why the Split S Solo Dive Recovery procedures were incorporated into the Solo SOP. They do not comply with the F/A-18 Performance Manual Dive Recovery charts."

13 recommendations were made.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: 
Report number: 
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 2 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

https://www.rt.com/usa/345242-blue-angels-plane-crash/
http://www.wgnsradio.com/blue-angels-jet-crashes-in-smyrna-tn-cms-33200
https://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/06/02/navy-blue-angel-jet-crashes-tennessee/85310876/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPri8suJMuU
http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Navy/McDonnell-Douglas-F-A-18C/2494056/L?sid=999ad30c95263d9e067c779f1dd2a34e
https://www.blueangels.navy.mil
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2016/06/03/blue-angels-suspend-flying-after-fatal-crash/
http://www.public.navy.mil/navsafecen/Documents/statistics/AvSummaries.pdf
https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2016/09/15/the-mistakes-that-led-to-a-deadly-blue-angels-crash-and-how-the-navy-wants-to-prevent-them/
https://web.archive.org/web/20190106174520if_/http://lmgcorporate.com/wsmv/documents/BlueAngelsCrash.pdf

Location

Media:

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Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
02-Jun-2016 22:34 Geno Added
03-Jun-2016 05:56 Anon. Updated [Aircraft type]
03-Jun-2016 09:19 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code]
03-Jun-2016 09:25 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code]
03-Jun-2016 09:38 Iceman 29 Updated [Embed code, Narrative]
03-Jun-2016 18:30 Geno Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source, Narrative]
06-Jun-2016 15:58 Aerossurance Updated [Source, Narrative]
08-Jun-2016 17:10 stanak Updated [Time, Registration, Cn, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
16-Jun-2016 15:10 Aerossurance Updated [Operator, Location]
16-Sep-2016 10:30 Aerossurance Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative]
16-Sep-2016 15:39 Aerossurance Updated [Time, Registration, Operator, Source, Narrative]
16-Sep-2016 15:40 Aerossurance Updated [Narrative]
08-Feb-2020 18:26 Iwosh Updated [Operator, Operator]
11-Feb-2020 20:19 Iwosh Updated [Operator, Operator]

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