Emergency Landing Cockpit Footage From The WWII DC Flyover

"McMike" (mcmike) 05/20/2015 at 22:51 • Filed to: None

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Point of view footage from the pilot’s GoPro captures the approach, the mechanical issue, radio, break-away, and the landing at DCA (Reagan National Airport).

(six frame gif dramatization.)

They though it was fire, but it was a pinhole in a high-pressure hydraulic line inside the cockpit.

The video explains what the issue was, and the lessons learned.

Here’s video from the ground

And here is video from one of the other aircraft in the formation. @5:35 is where the Avenger broke away from formation to land.

Here’s a frame from the above video. Good thing DCA (arrow) was right there.

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Dusty Ventures > McMike 05/20/2015 at 22:57

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I was at the Washington Mall during the flyover, I had no idea there was an emergency landing. Of course until I got buzzed by a B-17 at <1,000 feet I had no idea the flyover was happening in the first place.

Jcarr > McMike 05/20/2015 at 22:58

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I remember at Oshkosh a number of years ago listening to ATC one morning when a Corsair was leaving for home. As soon as he took off he had a hydro line blow. He flew around for 20 minutes or so until they could get a chase plane up to get close enough to confirm that he was able to manually lower and lock his gear. I can't imagine what must have been going through the dudes head.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > McMike 05/20/2015 at 22:59

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I’m surprised the flyover was permitted.

McMike > Dusty Ventures 05/20/2015 at 23:00

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I work near the Mall, and missed the whole thing since I was home sick that day getting my motorcycle inspected.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > McMike 05/20/2015 at 23:14

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CODE BROWN

Axial > McMike 05/21/2015 at 05:28

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Related fun-fact: The B-29 was flying out of Manassas Airport and it flew about 20 meters over my head when it came in for its final landing there. Thing was goddamn awesome!

f86sabre > McMike 05/21/2015 at 08:17

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Conveniently located airport was convenient.

McMike > f86sabre 05/21/2015 at 08:31

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No shit. I think that was the closest they were to the airport when things started going wrong.

William Rice > McMike 05/21/2015 at 09:26

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Thanks for sharing! Great videos! Flying these pieces of history is dangerous, expensive, and an incredible act of charity. Everyone that sees and recognizes what these aircraft represent is enormously touched by just the sound of those radials.

fuzzy_uts > McMike 05/21/2015 at 11:09

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These things always seem to happen exactly when you don’t need them to, like in the middle of a flyby over the nation’s capital. These guys did a great job in reacting to the emergency. The lessons learned like ensuring all the crew has fire protection and were all connected to ICS remained on ICS throughout the emergency would have really helped the situational awareness throughout. Otherwise, everyone survived, the aircraft was able to fly away, and no one else was injured. To me it sounds like a pretty successful flight.

McMike > fuzzy_uts 05/21/2015 at 11:37

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I love it that in the midst of a amazing emergency landing that only resulted a few hour delay and having to clean the cockpit that the pilot found a dozen things wrong with it.

BeMark > McMike 05/21/2015 at 11:44

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The Avenger was not the sexiest of the old war birds but it’s one of my favorite! Something just bad ass about having a turret gunner on a small plane. Not to mention build on of these guys as a kid.

McMike > BeMark 05/21/2015 at 12:04

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After looking at images of the Avenger, I realized that it also had a lower crew position and a machine gun on the bottom.

I had no idea. I thought it was just a tandem, two-seat aircraft.

BeMark > McMike 05/21/2015 at 12:26

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Yeah, it’s pretty wild that it was a 3 man plane. I still think it was one of the coolest war birds that doesn’t really get that much attention. Little side note, George H. Bush was an Avenger pilot and he earned the distinguished flying cross after getting shot down.

EvilFD > Jcarr 05/21/2015 at 12:33

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Was that the Corsair that was completely lost about a decade ago at Oshkosh or some other big fly-in?

PatBernieMurphy > BeMark 05/21/2015 at 12:43

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Little(er) known fact: when GHWB ditched the aircraft the third crewmember never made it out. Not trying to be a Debbie downer, just commenting on the design whereby 1/3rd the crew doesn't have a lot of options in a water landing... In a Naval Aircraft.

bubbajoe123456 > McMike 05/21/2015 at 12:46

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I hadn't either. That gun on the belly was fired by the radioman, who had to stand up and lean over a partition to do so.

Jcarr > EvilFD 05/21/2015 at 13:11

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Must have been a different show. This one made it down safely and I don’t recall a Corsair being lost at Oshkosh in the 20 some years I’ve been going. A couple P-51s tangled on landing a few years ago though, killing one of the pilots.

Daemon_EA > McMike 05/21/2015 at 14:30

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1. Is that how radios sound in the plane? Because it sounds like a subway announcer, you must get used to it.

2. If videos become a thing on FA like this... I will have to stop looking at work. wow distracting! but great to learn

BeMark > PatBernieMurphy 05/21/2015 at 15:46

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My understanding is that he is the only one to survive but I could be wrong.

DakirSmith > BeMark 05/21/2015 at 16:06

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Side note he doesn't remember being in Dallas yet photos put him there when JFK was killed.

Tritium3H > McMike 05/21/2015 at 16:29

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David Laughlin: Who flies crates like these anymore?

Project Leader: No one. These planes were reported missing in 1945.

One of my favorite movies of all time!

Timothy Burks > McMike 05/21/2015 at 16:34

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They didn't always have three, or the ventral gun. Another notable attack type with a internal crew station was the AD Skyraider.

WilliamSCobb > McMike 05/21/2015 at 19:44

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It is really something to see the SB2C-4 in that formation. I was fortunate enough to help a friend and volunteer at the Naval Aviation Museum Archives section do some research for the pilot of that Helldiver. Because of the nature of the flyover and where it took place, the FAA had a special interest in ensuring safety for all aircraft participating. One of the things they wanted was documentation of aircraft best glide speed in the event of an emergency. Unfortunately, the original WW2 Pilot Manual for the SB2C-4 didn’t contain that information. There were all sorts of range charts, dive angle charts, and other combat related info, but nothing on best glide speed, just a quick summation of engine out procedures, and reference to a section in the manual that didn’t exist in both copies the Navair Museum had on hand. Still, we scanned over what we could, and the FAA seemed to accept it, because the Helldiver obviously made it to the flyover.

Roundbadge > McMike 05/22/2015 at 16:14

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I remember seeing that Avenger peel off during the flyover and wondered what was up.

Matthew > Timothy Burks 05/22/2015 at 17:58

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I had always thought the AD was a single seat plane until I built a kit and found a little window labelled “crew portal.” There were no internal parts for the crew station, so I did a little research and was quite surprised.

Timothy Burks > Matthew 05/22/2015 at 18:42

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Later versions even had side by side cockpits.