Warbird Information Exchange

Indeed, the full interim report makes for even grimmer reading, regarding some serious question marks over TC's SOP's for Lightning operations...excluding the ejection seat issues.

The double flame out on the ground and restart failure the previous day and the fact that the SAAF towed the a/c off the pan during the night because of excessive fuel leaking beggers the question as to why it was ever flown the next day at all and not subject to a careful inspection. It would seem that TC may not have had any ground support on site for operating the T-Bird away from base

We were discussing the report over on another site with very knowledgeable persons on it for the Lightning and the Investigation is mistaken on it being fuel leaking. The pictures prove that it wasn't fuel (too heavy & didn't burn although vaporized) plus the location of the flames indicates a broken hydraulic line. The aircraft apparently broke the line the day before, but it either wasn't addressed, or the repair didn't hold, the report doesn't say whether anyone ever looked at the problem after the airport fire put drip pans under the plane.

Terrible news. My condolences to all those who knew and loved Mr. Stock. Godspeed, R.I.P.

Rich

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Rich Kolasa
www.crystalgraphix.com

Preliminary accident report can be downloaded from South Africa CAA site here
http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20cent...009/ZU-BEX.pdf

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

via avweb.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hLvufAknW8