ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 60359
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| Date: | Tuesday 30 April 2002 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle |
| Owner/operator: | 40th Test Sqn /46th Test Wg USAF |
| Registration: | 80-0022 |
| MSN: | 665/C171 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 60 miles South of Panama City, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Elgin AFB, Florida |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
On 30 April 2002, an F-15C Eagle of the 46th Test Wing, based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, crashed in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 60 miles south of Panama City, Florida, killing test pilot Major James A. Duricy, assigned to the 40th Test Squadron, 46th Test Wing.
The aircraft was carrying an inert, updated version of the heat-seeking AIM-9X "Sidewinder" anti-aircraft missile. The mission was to check how the AIM-9X missile handled the flight.
An Accident Investigation Board determined that the crash was caused by the structural failure of the honeycomb material supporting the leading edge of the port vertical stabilizer during a high-speed test dive. A section of the leading edge, approximately 6 x 3 feet, broke away
The pilot was wearing a Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) that tracked his head motions and allowed him to cue the AIM-9X missile. The JHMCS head-motion telemetry was downloaded real time along with the aircraft flight telemetry since it was a test aircraft. This head-motion data was critical in determining what the pilot was looking at in the cockpit as well as formulating his ultimate fate. The investigation board was able to determine from the last two data points how far and fast his head moved during the mishap. Using established neck injury criteria, the board was able to speculate on what likely happened to the pilot whose body was never located. This landmark use of head-tracker technology was likely the first time it was used in aviation forensic investigation.
Sources:
Books, Kenneth, "Mid-air collision kills pilot", Eglin Flyer, Bayou Enterprises, Inc., Niceville, Florida, 22 February 2008, p. 9.
www.scramble.nl (Scramble 277)
http://web.archive.org/web/20171029221354/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/f-15.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_F-15_losses
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1980.html
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Apr-2012 13:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 09-Nov-2014 13:36 | Roup | Updated [Operator, Narrative] |
| 22-Jan-2015 18:50 | LifeSupport | Updated [Narrative] |
| 26-Feb-2021 17:53 | Anon. | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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