Not to second guess the driver, but if I had just
touched down on the deck, and on centerline, but not
able to stop - with a soft marsh at the end of the
strip..... I'd have just gone along for the ride &
NOT bailed out .... had this happen once on an old
Lear 35, (lost hydraulics) - but on centerline - the
option to bail obviously was missing, but it wasn't
"that" dangerous since we knew it was just a grassy
field at the end of the runway we'd over run into &
not a building or rising terrain.

Anyone know why the pilot chose to bail out ? (as
opposed to just jettisoning the canopy once they
had ditched into the marsh/water).

What's the official vs. unwritten understanding among
the community regarding the "macho factor" of when to
bail out of a jet vs. staying in the jet ?

There was an Israeli Air Force Pilot several years ago
flying an F-15 (forget what version), during an aerial
training exercise, there was a midair collision.

His F-15 lost control, he told his rear seater to stand
by to eject- then decided to see if he could regain control
of the aircraft - by going full throttle, light AB's. He
got control of the aircraft back and managed to land it...
although at a substantially higher Vref.

McDonnell Douglas sent reps out after they saw pictures
of the aircraft - and the pilot said during interviews, if
he had been aware of the damage he would have bailed out -
the entire right wing of that F-15 had been sheared off.

What factors would make a Hornet driver, already on the
deck, on centerline, knowing a soft marsh was up ahead at
the end of the runway, decide to pull that handle ? (vs.
just riding it out, and open , or jettison the canopy
once stopped).