Mid-air collision Fallon NAS today - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

ScottyS · 2008-06-13, 06:20 PM

...and by sheer coincidence I saw the whole thing above Middlegate on the way home from eastern Nevada. I was the 3rd party to reach the 2 ejected airmen, nobody saw a 3rd chute. The guys were OK, I gave them some Gatorade and stayed until the ground units arrived. Unlike the crowd on the edge of the road, I did not find post-crash photos appropriate, and I was too busy during the action to take any.

Pretty amazing scene, and sad.

sperry · 2008-06-13, 09:52 PM

Wow man.

F18's?

MattR · 2008-06-14, 07:02 AM

It was an F-5 trainer vs. an F18.

DARKSTI · 2008-06-14, 08:44 AM

RIP F-18C Pilot

Glad the 2 from the F-5 got out ok though

ScottyS · 2008-06-14, 06:39 PM

Yeah, the F-18 was a burning fireball from the get-go, with very little recognizable structure left. I'm sure the pilot's fate was instantaneous. The F-5 did not appear to be very intact on it's way to the desert floor, and did not explode on impact as I imagine the fuel was released into the atmosphere pretty fast. So, the collision at least spared the nose/cockpit section of the F-5 enough for the pilot and backseater to eject, which they did pretty early.

moose · 2008-06-14, 06:41 PM

Do they know why they collided?

Dean · 2008-06-14, 07:52 PM

F-5 and T-38 are old '50-'60s airframe designs that are still in use and can take a serious beating and hold together long enough for the pilots to get out if not limp them home. The F-5 is that mean looking "adversary" plane they use to emulate Migs at Top Gun.

I don't think the newer airframes are as robust in a collision but I guess it all depends on where and how you get hit.

It is sad to hear about when solders die in battle, it is even worse when it is not.

Nick Koan · 2008-06-15, 06:50 PM

Wow, crazy that you were there. Good work on taking care of the guys. It was a very sad story indeed.

cody · 2008-06-16, 09:55 AM

Nice work Scotty.

2008-06-13, 06:20 PM	#1
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Mid-air collision Fallon NAS today ...and by sheer coincidence I saw the whole thing above Middlegate on the way home from eastern Nevada. I was the 3rd party to reach the 2 ejected airmen, nobody saw a 3rd chute. The guys were OK, I gave them some Gatorade and stayed until the ground units arrived. Unlike the crowd on the edge of the road, I did not find post-crash photos appropriate, and I was too busy during the action to take any. Pretty amazing scene, and sad. __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

2008-06-13, 09:52 PM	#2
sperry The Doink Real Name: Scott Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 20,335 Car: '09 OBXT, '02 WRX, '96 Miata Class: PDX/TT-6 The way out is through	Wow man. F18's? __________________ Is you is, or is you ain't, my con-stit-u-ints?

2008-06-14, 07:02 AM	#3
MattR El Matador Real Name: Matt Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 10,660 Car: 2012 Toyota Tacoma Class: ?	It was an F-5 trainer vs. an F18. __________________ "Dallas..We have a problem.”

2008-06-14, 08:44 AM	#4
DARKSTI EJ22 Real Name: Ryan Coulter Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NW Reno Posts: 372 Car: '07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited It's not that I'm lazy, It's that I don't care.	RIP F-18C Pilot Glad the 2 from the F-5 got out ok though __________________ My other car is a Canon

2008-06-14, 06:39 PM	#5
ScottyS EJ205 Real Name: It is real! Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: RNO Posts: 2,367 Car: 1998 Impreza Wagon, 1991 Legacy Turbo Sedan, 2003 Nissan Xterra Class: tvFree Yes, I'll fix it for you. Again.	Yeah, the F-18 was a burning fireball from the get-go, with very little recognizable structure left. I'm sure the pilot's fate was instantaneous. The F-5 did not appear to be very intact on it's way to the desert floor, and did not explode on impact as I imagine the fuel was released into the atmosphere pretty fast. So, the collision at least spared the nose/cockpit section of the F-5 enough for the pilot and backseater to eject, which they did pretty early. __________________ "Trend Number One is that people aren't getting any smarter." Dogbert

2008-06-14, 06:41 PM	#6
moose EJ22 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 446 Car: 1998 Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS Class: getting beat in DSP Pain doesn't affect me, I affect pain.	Do they know why they collided? __________________ I hope that after I die, people will say of me: 'That guy sure owed me a lot of money!'"

2008-06-14, 07:52 PM	#7
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	F-5 and T-38 are old '50-'60s airframe designs that are still in use and can take a serious beating and hold together long enough for the pilots to get out if not limp them home. The F-5 is that mean looking "adversary" plane they use to emulate Migs at Top Gun. I don't think the newer airframes are as robust in a collision but I guess it all depends on where and how you get hit. It is sad to hear about when solders die in battle, it is even worse when it is not. __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...

2008-06-15, 06:50 PM	#8
Nick Koan JDM Cowboy Real Name: Nick Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Somewhere Posts: 8,642 Car: 2015 Mazda 3	Wow, crazy that you were there. Good work on taking care of the guys. It was a very sad story indeed. __________________ While a standard engine is powered by a belt connected to the crankshaft, a turbo engine runs on its own exhaust steam, making it more energy efficient. -- CNN

2008-06-16, 09:55 AM	#9
cody Candy Mountain Real Name: Cody Join Date: May 2005 Location: Californication Posts: 7,751 Car: 03 Pussy Wagon, now with more pink! Class: TESP OMG Internet!	Nice work Scotty. __________________ Slow and low, that is the tempo.