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| Date: | Monday 13 May 2024 |
| Time: | 13:53 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft T-6A Texan II |
| Owner/operator: | US Air Force (USAF) |
| Registration: | 08-3915 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita County, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Wichita Falls Regional Airport, TX (SPS/KSPS) |
| Investigating agency: | USAF AIB |
A Mishap Instructor Pilot (MIP) was killed after ejecting from the rear cockpit of a T-6A Texan II, 08-3915, while taxiing to parking on the ramp at Sheppard Air Force Base (AFB), Texas (TX). The MIP was a captain First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP), and the first lieutenant Mishap Student Pilot (MSP) was an international student pilot. Both pilots were assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing (FTW), Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT), and flew with the 89th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) at Sheppard AFB, TX.
The Mishap Sortie (MS) was the second sortie of the day for the MIP, who was previously scheduled to fly only one sortie that day. The MS was the first sortie of the day for the MSP. After arriving at the aircraft, the two-aircraft formation completed pre-flight, engine start, taxi, takeoff (at 1220L), departure, and formation maneuvers in a local Military Operations Area (MOA). As briefed, the formation split up in the MOA, and the Mishap Aircraft (MA) recovered to Sheppard AFB single ship and landed without incident. Upon landing on runway 33R at 1342L, the MSP taxied the MA clear of the runway and initiated the After Landing Checklist, including verbal question-and-answer steps, with the MIP. These items included both pilots installing the seat safety pins into their respective ejection seats, though the MIP failed to fully install the seat safety pin in the MIP’s seat. During taxi, the MIP partially disconnected from the rear cockpit (RCP) ejection seat system, including from the parachute. At 1353L, as the MSP was taxiing the MA, the MIP inadvertently actuated the ejection handle, ejecting from the MA.
The MIP remained partially connected to, and seated in, the ejection seat until automatic seat/pilot separation. The MIP separated from the seat 100 ft above the ground, fell headfirst through an aircraft sunshade, and landed on the ground 261 ft from the MA. The MIP sustained non-survivable injuries, later succumbing to those injuries the next morning at a local hospital.
The MSP did not eject and received no injuries. The MA sustained significant damage.
The Board President found by a preponderance of the evidence, there were two causes of the mishap: (1) the MIP failed to fully install the RCP ejection seat safety pin during the After Landing Checklist; and (2) the MIP partially disconnected from the ejection seat allowing the harness chest strap V-ring to unknowingly get caught on and inadvertently actuate the ejection seat control handle
Accident investigation:
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|
Sources:
https://www.twz.com/news-features/t-6-pilot-dies-in-ejection-seat-accident
USAF
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-May-2024 10:05 | edk1994 | Added |
| 15-May-2024 10:07 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Damage, ] |
| 15-May-2024 14:26 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Narrative, ] |
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