Report blames brakes, pilot for E-2C mishap

[unhappycamper]

NAVY An E-2C swerved off the runway March 19 in Norfolk, Va. No one was injured in the mishap, which caused more than $10 million in damage.


Report blames brakes, pilot for E-2C mishap
By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Oct 25, 2009 21:07:34 EDT

Bad brakes and pilot error led to an E-2C Hawkeye accident in March in which an aircraft swerved off the runway and sustained more than $10 million in damage.

The Hawkeye was landing after a training flight at Chambers Field in Norfolk, Va., on March 19 when it skidded off the runway and broke its landing gear, according to a Judge Advocate General Manual Investigation report obtained by Navy Times. No one was injured.

The aircraft’s problems began as it was approaching for a roll-out landing on the runway only to realize that the cockpit lights that show whether the propellers are ready for landing — known as beta lights — were not illuminated.

When the beta lights don’t illuminate, it means the plane will have trouble decelerating on the runway. When this happens, pilots are trained to conduct an arrested landing if possible. The landing strip at Chambers Field includes arresting gear to simulate carrier landings.

Rather than land, the pilot came around for a second approach, the report says. A crew member pulled out a checklist and suggested an arrested landing, but the pilot dismissed the suggestion, saying the lights were probably on a dimmer nighttime setting and there was no real problem, the report says.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/10/navy_hawkeye_102509w/