Originally Posted by
PaulD
There was definitely something up with one of the elevators. In that turn around maneuver around 2 min the aircraft snaps pretty hard and recovers. When it does pitch up at 3:30 it tumbles not just pitches. During the takeoff, it might have hit one of the elevators on the ground and knocked something loose or stripped a servo gear.
Real bummer for the pilot on what looked like a pretty nice F 18.
PaulD
I am sorry for the pilot's loss.
Just think what would have happened had he been doing low level, high speed passes over the runway, as more then 50% of the guys were doing on Wednesday, when it let loose? Could have ended up in the crowd killing someone? I fly an F-18, and I don't see how the stabilators could hit the ground on take off. Only way is with extensive travel and full up, and then I think the leading edge tips would dig in or tear it off at that point. He should have landed after the first snap and loss of control...........IMHO.