2ND TACTICAL AIR FORCE FLIGHT COMMENT MAGAZINE
May 1958 issue.

Major Accident, Hunter F.6 XJ640 T19th May, 1958



                  Sequence of events when Ron Lund landed on 2 wheels without an airspeed indicator.
                                                                          (Thanks to Ron Lund.)

On selecting undercarriage down for landing the port undercarriage light remained red.   Further selections, including the undercarriage emergency lever, plus positive and negative G, all produced no result, and the tower confirmed that the port leg was up.   When the inboard drop tanks (with fins) were jettisoned at 250 knots the port tank struck the pitot head rendering it useless and therefore Ron had no airspeed indications.   Another Hunter was used to lead in a final approach and the aircraft landed on the nose and starboard wheels.   The engine was stop-cocked on round out and all the electrics switched off before coming to rest.   The aircraft sustained Cat. 3 damage.

COMMENT   The pilot, Ron Lund, despite his lack of A.S.I., made a very good two wheel landing.   The offending leg was released on touch-down and a number of subsequent retraction tests were normal.   It is assumed that a temporary failure in the sequence valve was the cause of the trouble.   F.1022 action has been taken on the valve.   As regards the jettisoning of the drop tanks (with fins) this is a most unsatisfactory result despite being well within the speed limits.   As a temporary measure all Hunter pilots at Jever have been instructed to impose slight G when jettisoning tanks, and D.F.S. have been asked to consider further tests.

Aircraft Cat. 3 - Accident Classification - 102; Major Accident

[Click here to see the report of this incident in the F540 Monthly Operations Record for
May 1958 for No 4 Squadron.]