{"id":51934,"date":"2019-02-22T20:58:52","date_gmt":"2019-02-22T20:58:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/02\/22\/navy-a-29-pilot-in-air-forces-light-attack-experiment-died-in-crash-after-sharp-low-speed-turn\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:48:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:48:40","slug":"navy-a-29-pilot-in-air-forces-light-attack-experiment-died-in-crash-after-sharp-low-speed-turn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2019\/02\/22\/navy-a-29-pilot-in-air-forces-light-attack-experiment-died-in-crash-after-sharp-low-speed-turn\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy A-29 pilot in Air Force\u2019s light-attack experiment died attempting sharp, low-speed turn"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The A-29 Super Tucano crash<\/a> that killed a Navy aviator last summer at a New Mexico bombing range was caused when the pilot turned too sharply at a low airspeed after a weapon release and entered an uncontrollable dive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navy Lt. Christopher Short, an experienced F\/A-18 pilot, was flying the Super Tucano<\/a> at the Red Rio Bombing Range when he died June 22. He was tasking part in the second phase of the Air Force\u2019s light-attack aircraft experiment<\/a>. The range is part of the White Sands Missile Range north of Holloman Air Force Base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flight was proceeding normally until Short released his first weapon of the day, a 500-pound laser-guided GBU-12, from the left outboard pylon. He then tried to turn 180 degrees to the right, but the plane ended up rapidly rolling in that direction, and then entered into an uncontrolled spiral dive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short and his weapon systems officer tried four times to recover the aircraft and then attempted to eject. The WSO ejected at about 2,600 feet, five seconds before the plane hit the ground, and he survived with minor injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft arrives at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, April 24, 2018. The 81st Fighter Squadron received the aircraft to help continue the Afghan light air support training mission, which ultimately provides Afghan pilots with the capabilities of finding, tracking and attacking targets either on their own or in support of ground forces. The aircraft will eventually be used by the Afghan Air Force for close-air attack, air interdiction, escort and armed reconnaissance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Erick Requadt)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But it was too late for Short. He pulled the ejection handle 3 to 3.5 seconds after his WSO \u2014 at about 700 feet, roughly 1.5 seconds before impact. Before he could eject, the plane hit the ground and he died on impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accident investigation board president Brig. Gen. Kenneth Bibb concluded that the crash was caused by Short\u2019s overcontrol of the plane, which inadvertently led to the spiral dive and failure to recover the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An \u2018aggressive\u2019 maneuver<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bibb also found that Short made the wrong choice when he tried to pull off the 180-degree turn without compensating for the low-airspeed weapon release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said Short and his WSO planned for the 180-degree turn in advance on the day of the mission, but the crew acknowledged in their pre-flight briefing that neither had performed that maneuver during their initial A-29 training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said that other participants in the light-attack experiment had pulled off a similar 180-degree turn in another aircraft, the AT-6, eight days prior to the crash. That maneuver was \u201caggressive,” that AT-6 crew said, and included more than 90 degrees of bank and more than 4 g-forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representatives of the Sierra Nevada Corporation, which makes the Super Tucano, taught Short and his WSO to turn about 30 degrees, with 30 to 45 degrees of bank, after releasing a GBU-12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crew planned to use the momentum from dropping the left-hand GBU-12 as it rolled in the right direction, and the WSO expected to bank 30 to 45 degrees, but no more than 90 degrees.<\/p>\n\n\n\t