[STARMAN 352ND]

Blue Angel Crash
Posted in News on January-15-2008

Pensacola, Fla. – A Navy Blue Angels pilot was killed in a plane crash on April after his F/A 18 Hornet went down near a Marine Corps station in Beaufort, S.C. The crash occurred after an error by Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis when he failed to properly tense his abdominal muscles to counter the gravitational forces of a high-speed turn.

“In his final turn to attempt to rendezvous with the other Blues, he put a very fast, high 6.8 G turn on the aircraft. A real aggressive turn,” said Capt. Jack Hanzlik, a Navy spokesman and former aviator.

The reason why Davis lost control of the plane was due to a temporary decrease in blood flow to his brain, leading to disorientation. However, Davis worked to regain control of the plane and in the last few seconds, he realized his low altitude and attempted to save the aircraft, according to a report by Marine Lt. Col. Javier J. Ball.

“Kevin had performed these maneuvers in training and in the fleet. He had done them in similar situations and he had a history of performing them well without any problems,” Hanzlik said.

The Pensacola-based Blue Angels fly without the G-suits that most fighter pilots wear to avoid blacking out during such maneuvers. The suits inflate and deflate air bladders around the lower body, forcing blood to the brain and the heart. However, the air bladders can cause a pilot to bump the control stick, so the Blue Angels instead learn to manage the forces by tensing their abdominal muscles.

The accident at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort was the Blue Angels’ first crash since 1990 and the 26th fatality in the team’s 60th year in history.

The navy has increased its exercise requirements for Blue Angels pilots with an additional focus on abdominal muscles, considering that tragic encounter. The team has also stepped up its requirements for centrifuge training tailored for Blue Angel pilots.

Eight people were injured and some homes were damaged when the plane came crashing in a residential area about 35 miles northwest of Hilton Head Island, S.C.


Extra:
The report states that when Commander Davis pulled back into a 6.8 G pull, he lost control of the airplane due to the effect of G-LOC (Gravity Induced Loss Of Consciousness) or blackout. The Report also states that the Blue Angels are considering looking into G suits, even though this would not have saved the pilot in this crash.

[11SQNLDR]

This is very sad - I had no idea the Angels flew without G suits.

[flyXwire]

That's very sad indeed and an unnecessary loss. This incident could very well force the Blue Angels to mandatory wear their G-suit trousers. RIP Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis.

[jim]

Very tragic loss,

Thanks for the update JP,

My thoughts are with his family.

[smartd]

I was at the airshow in Niagara Falls NY back in the 80's when a couple of Blue Angel Skyhawks touched and crashed, ... not something you want to see.