HomeAbout the SiteContentsEjection ListsEjection StatisticsAcknowledgementsFeedbackDisclaimer

              

                       Ecuador-

Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana (FAE

Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana (ANE)

 

List being compiled and all additions / amendments welcomed

   Chronological Listing of Ecuadoran Ejections
Date Air Force A'cft Unit / Serial based crashed crew seat photo
27th January 1979
FAE		 Strike Master FAE255     MAJ M.P.Larrea Martin-Baker  
SBTE E.Merizalde Martin-Baker  
4th April 1980
FAE		 Strike Master       TEN M. Ibarra Martin-Baker  
9th October 1981
FAE		 Strike Master FAE243     Lt. R. Penaherrera Martin-Baker  
7th March 1983
FAE		 Mirage F-1JA FAE-810 2112

Taura
 Engine fire
 near Taura
 		 Captain Hernan Ayala
[TEN T. Jativa ??]		 Martin-Baker  
 

"Captain Ayala, despite the danger of an engine fire in flight, decided to try to return the plane to the Base and save it, but at the final approach, the plane became uncontrolable, forcing Captain Ayala to eject.
This was the very first ejection in Ecuador, made from a Supersonic fighter."
Wilson Garrido

  
7th February 1985
FAE		 Kfir C-2 FAE-910 Unit: 2113
Base: Taura		 birdstrike
place : Lomas de Sargentillo		 Lieutenant Marco Lopez Martin-Baker  
21st January 1988
FAE		 Mirage F-1JB FAE-832 2112

Taura
 		 MAJ G.Chico Martin-Baker  
20th April 1989
FAE		 Strike Master
Mk.69		     Collision SBTE H. D. Jorge

SBTE W. E. H. Zurita

TEN C. H. E. Torres

11N Y. R. M. Fernando

Martin-Baker  
 
20th April 1989
FAE		 Strike Master
Mk.69		     Collision Martin-Baker  
Martin-Baker  
 

 

 

This mishap happened in the mid 80's during a training mission aboard an Ecuador Air Force's BAC Strikemaster Mk-89

"Every day, we are reviewing emergency procedures and imagining dangerous situations that could happen. We are prepared for events like that, yes !, but we never really think that, one day something fatal could happen. But, even when we less expected, that day comes ! 

My story is about an experience never planned and expected. Experience that made Me get closer to the dead .

Everything started like this:  After the briefing for the day's mission, we took off with three Strikemasters, we got to the assigned area and we were doing everything normally, when after leaving from a turn  I felt a huge shock coming from under my plane. I was thinking about a possible bird strike, since  some birds were crossing the sky at the same time. I canceled immediately the normal work that I was doing and I asked to the No 2 plane of the formation flight to take a look to my plane's belly. He did, when, accompanied by a tremendous hit and the screeching sound of metal being twisted , I saw my No 2 coming out upwards from  the nose of my plane. I Watched the two pilots helmets from the other plane and is when my ordeal had begun !.


                                                                  photo and sketch via mgarrido

Sketch of the two Ecuadoran Strike Masters colliding on 20th April 1989

 

My plane started immediately to loose control . I was entering into an spin. Everything was vibrating and I was trying desperately to regain control of the aircraft. I put all of my strength in order to exit this situation. All of my knowledge and training was crossing my mind, but no matter what I was doing, I couldn't control my plane. The desperation was growing even bigger and the plane simply was not responding.

Under this situation I order ejection, I had run out of time. Maybe we only had the last second to save our life.

I removed my hands from the controls so I could pulled the ejection handle. I firmly pulled it as I was trying at the same time to get myself on the right position to exit the plane. I felt the explosion and saw the canopy flying out.

I have heard that during ejection, the pilots loose conscience but that didn't happen to Me. I desperately saw when I was being thrown out the plane and the worse of all was that I was falling with my head pointing to the ground ! due to the position the plane had at the moment of my ejection.

I was watching the ground coming closer and closer and I only was thinking that was the end of my days !, the end of my existence; My whole Life was passing through my mind as if it was a movie, thinking about that I was leaving my Home, my Family, forever !

While I was thinking about all of this, I was spinning in the air, still trapped to the ejection seat. All of the sudden, everything stop, and I was floating in the air with the parachute fully deployed. I couldn't believe it ! It was such a great joy ! I was still alive !

Immediately after I brought to my mind lessons from accidents occurred during ejection. I had to work right away and be prepared for the landing.

I dropped the surviving gear in order to protect my legs. While doing this, I looked downwards and watch it touching the ground, immediately after this it was Me, coming to Earth.

This time I was very lucky ! Thanks to God, because if I was delayed just one more second trying to save the plane and if I wouldn't hit in the lower part of the terrain, I woudn't be telling you this story.

I had jump to Life again ! I was born again !

After this experience in my life, I came back to work with more motivation than before, with a clear conviction that a human life has only one chance and an airplane can be replaced later.

Marco Yepez R.

Ecuador's Air Force, Liutenant.

reprinted the story kindly  translated and sent to me by
Wilson Fernando Garrido Chavez

 
11th April 1990
FAE		 Mirage       Capt. D. Eguiguren Burneo Martin-Baker  
8th April 1992
FAE		 Mirage       Benitez Martin-Baker  
12th August 1994
FAE		 Kfir C-2 FAE-903 Unit : 2113
Base: Taura		 engine failure Flame out Peninsula Santa Elena near Taura Air Base Major Juan Vivero Martin-Baker  
 

"All three pilots ejected safely and survived.
All three planes were replaced, reason that caused a big controversy in Peru, when its Government sent a complaint to the US Department of Estate, for permitting the export of those KFIRS while a Peace process between Ecuador and Peru was taking place. (Don't forget that at the meantime, Peru was acquiering 20 Mig-29s and 18 SU-25s)"
Wilson Garrido

  
February 1995
FAE		 T-33A     During Cenepa War. Non-combat accident. Crashed near Eloy Alfaro AB, near Manta, an Ocean Pacific port, in then Manabi province Capt. Garzón ejected too low and killed Lockheed  
Capt. Diaz ejected too low and killed Lockheed  
24th April 1998
FAE		 Kfir C-2 FAE-913 Unit :2113
Base: Taura		 bird strike on canopy while operating at low level (approach?)
place: near  Taura AFB		 Lieutenant Marco Palacios Martin-Baker  
10th March  2001
FAE		 BAe Strikemaster FAE 259 Taura AFB Flame out Taura AFB First Lieutenant Borys Reyes Martin-Baker  
Major Frank Vargas S. Martin-Baker  
 

"The Strikemaster had been in a routine trainning mission, when just a few minutes before landing, during an approach in bad weather, the plane experienced a flame out, forcing the pilots to eject. Both survived."
Wilson Garrido

  
21st October 2004
17:15h
FAE		  Kfir TC-2  either 931 or 932 Escuadron 2113

Taura

 Bird strike. Final aproached to Taura AFB Capitan Alex Padilla ejected with minor injures. Martin-Baker
Capitan Patricio Velasco  ejected with minor injures.   Martin-Baker
Wednesday 25th March 2009
FAE		 Strikemaster MK-89     Training flight in northeastern Sucumbios province. Crashed in a jungle area near the Colombian border 112 miles (180 kilometers) east of the capital, Quito     Martin-Baker
Pilot Lt. Rafael Durango
ejected safely
Died during rescue efforts*		 Co-pilot
ejected safely		 Martin-Baker
*Following his successful ejection Rafael Durango and his rescuer died while being hoisted into a helicopter when the cable broke.
                 

 The correct date is February 1995, during Cenepa War, and the correct place is Eloy Alfaro AB, near Manta, an Ocean Pacific port, in then Manabi province.

Acknowledgements

 

Members of the LAAHS

Wilson Fernando Garrido Chavez

Tom Cooper - ACIG

Virgilio Aray Arteaga

Dick Aynsley

Cesar Cruz - for updates on Kfir ejections

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

(if I inadvertently omit your name from this listing PLEASE let me know to amend the listing)

FEEDBACK