The Ejection Site

Pilot First-Hand Reports

F-14 Shootdown PDF F-14A 197x AIM-7 Sparrow Missiles are good for shooting down the enemy, but here is one shot that got the shooter. A F-14 test pilot finds out how disorienting an ejection can be when his aircraft gets damaged by a missile launch. Thanks to Pete Purvis, and Flight Journal for use of this article.

Ejection Without a Chute Canberra B2 - 1966 Can you have a successful ejection without a parachute? That simple question came into my email one day and led to me putting together this story. I answered truthfully, based on the technical definition of successful, yes, although it is quite rare. The person who had asked was thrilled with that answer. He had been one of the few survivors of an ejection without a parachute...

Surviving the Unsurviable McDonnell-Douglas AV-8A - 1974 An Airshow routine becomes anything but- It's better to be lucky than dead! No handles pulled, no parachute!

Underwater Ejection Vought A-7 Corsair II - 1969 A bad lineup puts a Naval Aviator off the deck of an aircraft carrier and into the drink. As the aircraft sinks he has some decisions to make in the dark...

Field Carrier Landing Practice RA-5C Vigilante - 1967 Field Carrier Landing Practice - practicing landing an aircraft on a stable runway becomes a deadly experience for a recon crew

Starfighter Down! YF-104 Starfighter - 195x Test flying an aircraft is always exciting, but hopefully not this dangerous. Always check your stores!

The Survival Instinct F-8E Crusader - 1966 Having an engine failure at night in a single engine aircraft tends to ruin your day, but when you eject and the seat gets tangled in your parachute, it really gets trying!

Back in the Saddle Again F-15E - 1996 Night again, only this time an electronic hangup in the HUD leads to a supersonic dive. Ejecting into air five times the force of a Catagory 5 hurricane pits a pilot against forces rarely experienced, and less often survived.

Bailout! Bailout! B-47 Stratofortress - 1963 Ejecting into a thunderstorm is not a good way to end a flight, but sometimes it is the only chance you have...

Irish Luck- Surviving Partial Ejection from A-6 Aircraft July, 1991 Sometimes a mechanical malfunction tries to get you, but it isn't your time... Story on Mark Gallagher's web page.

Mid-Air! Tornado F-3 - 1996 A two-vs-one air to air intercept flight ends with two aircraft in a head on collision at 1000 knots closure. Both crews survive, but not unscathed...