"Juvat" wrote in message
...
Marc Reeve posted:

What's to say? It was determined that the leader's (Maj. Norm Lowry)
aircraft sustained a mechanical malfunction that caused it to crash
(failure to pull up after completing a loop),...
I seem to recall that there might have been a loose bolt in Major
Lowry's stick that had caused the stick to jam at just the wrong time.

I believe the Board put the blame on a "bob-weight" that effected the
feel of the stick forces...no jamming that I recall. I was an
additional duty safety guy in my squadron, and briefed it. The T-38
FAIPs in the sqdn were skeptical (to put it mildly) of the "official"
explanation.

ISTR that the Accident Board also found that the Formation was lower
than briefed/expected at the apex of the "over the top" maneuver being
flown, and the findings speculated they could have pulled out if...

Sad day none the less.

Juvat

The investigation was conducted at Holloman. Rog Parrish, Canterbury, and
others were involved. the FSO came from the 479th TFTW. It was a good and
truthful investigation. These people were first rate officers. Their initial
conclusions were VERY hard for them to submit, but they did the right thing.
They told the truth!! Their initial report was bounced by Creech and sent
back down for "further review". Creech insisted they "look again for another
reason"!! "Thunderbirds don't make mistakes" he said!!! The bob weight crap
was in the "revised" report sent back up to TAC. EVERYBODY knew it was bull
****!!! Creech accepted it immediately!
I'll tell you this much and you can take it to the bank! Norm didn't have a
"bob weight problem". There IS NO F*****G bobweight on the T38!!! Every
Thunderbird I know believes Norm simply blew the loop, and from my own
personal experience with low altitude vertical recoveries, and with personal
knowledge of the T38 in this environment specifically, I can tell you that
this is exactly what happened. From the Thunderbirds viewpoint, specifically
from an ex leader of the team who will remain nameless here for obvious
reasons, "It was a line abreast loop. When they went in I knew immediately
that lead impacted last...not FIRST!!!!!". And he was right. Anyone familiar
with the mechanics of a line abreast loop recovery lead foul up while flying
as a member of a jet acro team would know IMMEDIATELY the implication of
this simple fact!! It showed that way on the video tape taken at the com
trailer, but the tape vanished!!!!
Let me put it another way if I can. Creech isn't really the most popular guy
at the Thunderbird reunions....if you get my drift!!

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI
Retired