Pete,

You're a little off on a couple of points --

He was the CO, MAG-11 -- the rough equivalent of a CVW CO. (Marine Aircraft
Wings (MAWs) are five figures worth of people and a couple hundred
aircraft -- typically 2-stars commanding.) IIRC, this particular O-6
installed himself as the demo pilot late in the game, and either didn't
practice or had one practice that (at the time, for anyone other than the
MAG CO) would have received a failing grade. His entry speed was too slow,
and he didn't make the target altitude for the pull-down maneuver (as in too
low). The rest is history. He was SEVERELY injured and it was a miracle he
survived.

USMC command selection went away from the local "good ole boy" routine about
15 years ago.

"Pechs1" wrote in message
...
doug- Classic low altitude loop mistake... He waits too long inverted
not
realizing that even though his nose is above the horizon, he's descending.
Not enough room to pull out of the back side. BRBR

I had a USMC O-4 in VX-4 with me that went on to work for this pilot.
There
was a report with video that was produced because of this accident, 'snake
in
the basket', or something like that. It shows that the combination of low
altitude and airspeed means he was gonna hit the ground, even when on his
back
at the top. The pilot was very severely injured, face hit the stick as
well.
He was relieved(I think he was a wing commander), and the O-4, Junk
Grundy,
lost his 'sponsor', to become a F/A-18 squadron CO...their command system
works
a lot like the USAF, the local wing commander picks his COs..
I think he didn't jump out because when he recognized he was in extremis,
he
was out of the seat's envelope, due to sink rate. Zero/zero means zero or
small
sink rate as well.
P. C. Chisholm
CDR, USN(ret.)
Old Phart Phormer Phantom, Turkey, Viper, Scooter and Combat Buckeye
Phlyer