On 27th,
November, 1980 Captain Ralph Edward Harrison, who was then 38 years old,
was piloting CF-104 Starfighter "Hawkeye 27" from the CFB Baden-Soellingen,
in West Germany. While flying over farmland an Explosion and Fire
crippled the jet's engine leaving Captain Harrison no alternative than
to eject which he did in level flight at approximately 1600' AGL and
approximately 200 Kts. The crash occurred over farmland 6nm from the
south runway of CFB Baden-Soellingen, near the village of Muchenschop,
West Germany. Weather conditions were fair with a cloud base at
1400', vis 2-3nm in haze, light winds. He did not experience any
difficulties in ejecting using his, Stanley produced Lockheed C-2 upward
firing, ejection seat, but did sustain, " . . . injuries to my knees
during ejection caused by either hitting the canopy bow or man/seat
collision . . . . . because of my injuries, I was unserviceable for 11
weeks and then I went back flying. "
via Ralph Harrison
Captain Ralph Edward Harrison,
CAF Forces
around 1979
Captain Ralph Harrison
"This
ejection occurred at the end of a three day local exercise. On
returning for a full stop landing, IFR recoveries were in process and I
was cleared for a radar vectored Ground Controlled Radar Approach (GCA
). GCA called me one mile from the glide path and I lowered full flaps
and increased fuel flow because of the extra drag and then that's when
the banging started, really loud clanging, banging. It didn't feel
like explosions more like as if some one was hitting the aircraft with a
sledge hammer and at the same time the 104 rolled violently left and
right three or four times. There was about three to five bangs and with
each bang the Starfighter rolled back and forth. At the same time the
warning panel lights and the master caution light would flash like a
pin-ball machine but the only one that stayed on was number 2 generator
failed. With each bang the panel would light up and then go out but I
couldn't catch up with it to see what lights were flashing and that
moment I declared an emergency. The engine instruments looked normal to
me and no fire warning lights came on. Then almost immediately there was
a tremendous explosion which really vibrated the aircraft and fumes
entered the cockpit. I called GCA that I was ejecting. I would estimate
the time from the start of the banging to ejection was between 10 to 15
seconds."
"clipping from our base newspaper"
"As I was IFR
and in cloud I kept the 104 steady with my right hand and pulled the "D"
ring with the other hand. As the "D" ring was travelling up I released
the control stick and used both hands to continue pulling. The canopy
blew off with very loud bang and the shoulder straps pulled me back
quite quickly. I saw the instrument panel and the canopy bow flash by
and at the same time there was a very, very loud roar probably caused
by the wind blast and the rocket motor in the ejection seat. I felt I
was tumbling backwards. The roaring ceased and I remember thinking this
is where the chute should open. I felt a gentle tug and I could see I
had a good chute. Almost immediately I came out the clouds. I was
sitting straight up and down with no oscillation of the chute. I would
estimate I was about 1500' above ground. At this time I was aware my
knees were hurting and the flying suit was torn around the knees. I
don't remember how I received these injuries. I was having difficulty in
breathing and I realized the problem was my mask was still on and then I
removed it from my face. Knowing I would be landing soon, I released
the seat pack which is attached to the parachute and to the mae west by
a lanyard and I felt a tug when the seat pack reached the end of the
lanyard and deployed but the line broke and I helplessly watched the
pack fall to earth with the dingy opening. The wind started to drift me
towards woods which were near a freshly ploughed field. I pulled on the
back parachute lines which set a drift away from the trees. About 200'
I started to go right towards that ploughed field. The drift was slow
and I managed a soft landing. I released the chute right away. I laid
there for a few minutes rubbing my knees until the pain went away. By
this time I was drawing a crowd. The aircraft explosions had alerted
their attention to me . Two nice ladies found my seat pack and brought
it to me but they didn't stick around. A gentleman from the local
village came to me a put his hand on my shoulder and in German told me I
was going to be alright but he didn't stay either. I think there were
trying to tell me something. Then I realized I had on a shoulder
holster with a pistol in it ( the pistol was carried as a part of the
exercise and it was unloaded and the firing pin had been
removed). Perhaps that's
why they didn't want to keep me company! I opened the seat pack and
found the emergency radio but the container for the radio had been bent
on impact and I couldn't get it out. About 15 minutes later a German
ambulance arrived and took me to the base. I believe someone in the
local village must have called for the ambulance. I ended up with
contusion/abrasion to each knee, with a right chip fracture of the
patella and a marked hemarthrosis. I had no other bruises not even from
the parachute straps. As for the cause of the accident, the Board of
Inquiry found that during a routine check prior to 807's last flight a
tech did not properly torque the fuel reference pressure line
hose fitting which had been disconnected during this maintenance
check. As a result due to aircraft vibration this fuel line fitting
worked loose somewhere during the last phase of my flight and fuel
pooled between the fuselage and engine. To give the Starfighter more
lift on landing when full flaps are selected, hot compressed air from
the last stage of the engine compressor is directed over the flaps. The
temperature of this hot air is 900°F. When I lowered full flaps this
hot air probably ignited the fuel air mixture which in turn ruptured
other fuel lines. The explosion probably blew out the first fire but as
other fuel lines were ruptured more explosions occured and the fate of
the aircraft was sealed . Witnesses on the ground who were directed to
the Starfighter because of the explosions stated there was a large plume
of fire at the tail end of the 104. The aircraft flew for another two
nm where it flamed out due to fuel starvation and crashed in an open
field. As for my injuries it was caused by either coming in contact with
the canopy bow or collision with the seat during man/seat seperation.
The Board found that the "D" ring cable should have been cut as soon as
the ejection seat ejector straps function but there was a enough of
delay to cause a man/seat collision. Other-words I was still holding
the "D" ring when I was pushed out of the seat and then I could have
swung around and made contact with it. ( I still have the "D" ring and
it hangs on the wall in my computer room). A modification to the timing
of the "D" ring cutting was ordered but I have no idea if it was
actioned. Also modes were ordered for the seat pack lanyard and the
container for the emergency radio. Again, I am not aware if this was
done too. "
Ralph Harrison,
November 2005