An US Navy EA-18G Growler. USN
The Warzone/The Drive: Freezing Navy EA-18G Crew In Ice Filled Cockpit Navigated Home Using Their Smart Watches
The plane made it back to base, but the potentially deadly mishap is the latest spectacular failure for the Growler's environmental control system.
A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler recently made it back to base after suffering a terrifying mid-air mishap, which left its two-person crew flying blind and frostbitten after the aircraft’s environment control system failed in part thanks to a pair of high-tech wrist watches. The incident occurred just over a year after the canopy on another one of the electronic warfare planes exploded in a bizarre over-pressurization incident and as the service continues to struggle to find exactly what’s causing persistent reports of “hypoxia-like” symptoms across the F/A-18 Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and Growler fleets.
Defense News was first to report this new incident, which occurred approximately 60 miles south of Seattle, Washington. The EA-18G, assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9), was flying at approximately 25,000 feet on a mission from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, between Seattle and Vancouver BC, when the cockpit temperature plummeted to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Update: Flying blind and freezing: Navy investigating terrifying EA-18G Growler flight (Defense News)
WNU Editor: The crew was lucky to survive.
2 comments:
I live 30 miles south of Seattle.. and the plane was reportedly just south of Olympia.
Something is off here. I am not doubting the injuries but am questioning the process.
The nearest military facility was McChord AFB. With ILS and precision approach radar. Very much similar to Whidbey. There were at least 10 airfields that the Growler could have landed at.
Declaring an emergency would have allowed quick access to any one of them
Unless I missed it, turning them north and sending them all the way to Whidbey would make sense only if they launched another aircraft to join and talk the aircraft down through the approach.
Otherwise... There's something missing here in the decision tree..
Ma'am,
Thank you for your service and willingness to put yourself out there.
I am merely a former maintainer of Tomcats and a resident of the area. The process in this case left me with questions rather than second guesses... You are surely more versed in these things than I, and routing the bird up the Puget Sound instead of even risking a PAR into McChord over an empty Fort Lewis does make some sense.
Much respect to the aircrew for bringing the bird home safely, and I do very much share your concerns about these matters. The T-45 near revolt is another situation along a perhaps similar line. If there isn't a problem in NavAir and the aircraft manufacturers, there certainly appears to be.
Seem to recall issues with the F-22 ECS and the F-35 helmet weights as well.
The aircrew was in control and did what they did, and all turned out well thank goodness.
I still maintain awareness and curiosity in Naval Air.
For my part, all of the F-14s I launched came back safely. I would spare no thousand mph tape or RTV to make sure my birds and crews came back. :)
Hoping that people get these things under control...
Again, my thanks to you
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