UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2059004/Red-Arrows-pilot-Sean-Cunningham-killed-ejector-seat-accident-RAF-Scampton.html?ito=feeds-newsxml My thoughts go out to his Family and Friends Edited November 9, 2011 by UK_Widowmaker Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted November 9, 2011 Damn, what a sad way for such a pilot to go. An accident in flight would be more what you might expect to happen, but this... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shiloh 12 Posted November 9, 2011 Very sad indeed - RIP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted November 9, 2011 . I agree Olham, what a way for a fighter pilot to go. My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of Flight Lieutenant Sean Cunningham. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted November 9, 2011 That, indeed, is terribly sad. What's worse, is that it seems it was entirely preventable. I hope they find the bugger who designed and tested those ejection seats! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted November 9, 2011 (edited) So what actually killed him? I know the ejector seat blew, but isn't that supposed to be surviveable? I assume the canopy didn't blow, but I would have thought the canopy glass blowing out would be linked to the ejector seat detonation as a failsafe. I seem to recall hearing that after an ejection, pilots can suffer spinal compression injuries with the sheer acceleration. Perhaps if the ejection came with no warning, he wasn't sitting primed and ready for it to happen and simply broke his neck. This fatal accident must have been desperately close to a surviveable incident. Whatever the cause, it must be awful for his family. Such a waste of a great pilot. Edited November 9, 2011 by Flyby PC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herr Prop-Wasche 7 Posted November 9, 2011 I gather from the news report that he shot up 200 feet into the air and the parachute did not deploy. Awful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bullethead 12 Posted November 10, 2011 That's a real shame. But it just goes to show, you never know. For instance, a while back a guy I knew got killed in a car wreck the very night he got back from the war. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeDixonUK 5 Posted November 10, 2011 RIP - very tragic that someone should die, let alone with the sad irony that you should be killed by something whos sole purpose in the universe is to prevent your death. Not a good year for the Red Arrows it seems... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted November 10, 2011 Indeed it isn't Mike...there sounds like a Generic Fault with this model of seat. The Pilot in the first fatal crash earlier in the year in Dorset, was found floating in the River Stour, with his seat nearby...but no mention of a Parachute Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
