Plane passenger accidentally activates ejector seat - and survives

[Big Don]

Plane passenger accidentally activates ejector seat - and survives

A civilian passenger in an air force display plane accidentally activated the ejector seat while reaching for something to steady himself during a mid-air manoeuvre.



Published: 7:14PM GMT 01 Nov 2009 Telegraph.co.uk EXCERPT:



The novice flier instantly shot through the jet's perspex canopy and was blasted 100 metres into the sky by the rocket-powered emergency chair.
Experts said the man was lucky to escape unharmed following the bizarre incident, which happened on Wednesday in South Africa.
It is thought he activated the ejector seat after lurching forward during an aerobatic manoeuvre and accidentally pulling on the black and yellow emergency handle between his legs.
The lever is fitted as standard in the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II jets to allow pilots and their passengers to eject from the aircraft in the event of an emergency.
As soon as it was activated, the ejection sequence activated two rockets attached to the back of his chair.
END EXCERPT
That HAD to be AWESOME! The military takes ALL kinds of people for these joyrides. If I ever get the chance, I'd definatly punch out, it's a once in a lifetime chance, what are they going to do, send a bill?

 

[Tez3]

They may not send a bill, your medical expenses will cost enough as you will have compression fractures to the spine and you will lose an inch or so from your height. There's various other injuries too, probably worth it though if it saves your life.
http://www.isam-india.org/essays/cme_recent.shtml

I was at RAF Wittering a long time ago when a pilot's ejector seat was accidentally used while the Harrier was still on the ground, the pilot didn't survive.

 

[MBuzzy]

That eject handle is really right there - it is pretty easy to pull. Rightly so....but when I got my rides, I was nervous the whole time about the stupid thing. It is RIGHT between your legs, even sticks up a little. Luckily it is disarmed while you're getting in and out or I'd have been shot out too.

We had one of Darwin's best pull the ejector handle of an abandoned F4 while in Iraq....apparently when they mothballed it and left it sitting in the desert, they didn't disarm the seat. He didnt' survive either.