T-34 Down in Lake Pontchartrain, 1 pilot still missing

[pintail21]

Hopefully they find the second person. Another article mentioned that there was a report that both pilots were out and clinging to the side of the plane before it sank. 50 degree air temp and 50 degree water at the time of the crash, hopefully they find the other pilot soon.

T-34 from NAS Whiting Field crashes in Lake Pontchartrain

January 24, 2010 1:35 PM

A T-34C Turbomentor went down in Lake Pontchartrain at approximately 7:00 p.m. Saturday.

There were two pilots aboard the aircraft assigned to Training Air Wing Five based out of Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Fla.

The Coast Guard has recovered one of the pilots, who suffered minor injuries, and is currently conducting a search for the second pilot.

The aircraft was conducting a routine cross-country training mission.

An investigation has convened to investigate the cause of the mishap.

[Bayou_Eagle_Driver]

Wow...close to home, will be keeping my ear out on this one.

[fastnumber15]

Lets just pray that he/she will be found alive and well. I'll be praying for the families as well.

[killacam]

Wow...close to home, will be keeping my ear out on this one.

Stupid question from an FNG... do student pilots ever wear the poopy suit for any sorties at UPT/Navy equivalent?

[tac airlifter]

Stupid question from an FNG... do student pilots ever wear the poopy suit for any sorties at UPT/Navy equivalent?

I've never heard of students wearing the poopy suit, but I've never instructed at pilot training so I could be wrong. Only times I know guys wear them is single engine well beyond power off glide distance to land. Think single engine crossing the Atlantic. I can't imagine wearing one to cross a relativly small lake.

[Guest Nike]

I've never heard of students wearing the poopy suit, but I've never instructed at pilot training so I could be wrong. Only times I know guys wear them is single engine well beyond power off glide distance to land. Think single engine crossing the Atlantic. I can't imagine wearing one to cross a relativly small lake.

Looks like the recovered pilot passed away, CG still looking for the second,

https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583776,00.html

jp

[letsgofast]

No ejection seats on those T34s? Glad we've moved on to the T-6. Hope the other is found alive.

[08Dawg]

Any information about who the two pilots are? I'm guessing they're still notifying next of kin, though.

[pintail21]

Stupid question from an FNG... do student pilots ever wear the poopy suit for any sorties at UPT/Navy equivalent?

Per NATOPS

"Antiexposyure suits- The latest available type...shall be provided for flight personnel of naval aircraft when in the event of a mishap there would be a significant risk of water entry and when any of the following conditions prevail: 1- The water temp is 50F or below

2- The air temp is below 32F

3- If the water temp is between 50-60F and the commanding officer of the unit concerned must determine whether antiexposure suits are neccessary based on SAR factors as follows A-assess max probable rescue time B- Determine the lowest water temp in the mission area during the time period of flight.

4- When antiexpsure suits are not req'd and water temp is below 60F, flight equipment shall include aramid undergarments.

Per CNN the search is suspended until tomorrow morning, hopefully they're holed up on shore with a nice fire going. Expected survival time in 50 degree water is 6 hrs, but with training and protection I'd imagine it could be fairly longer than that.

[fastnumber15]

No ejection seats on those T34s? Glad we've moved on to the T-6. Hope the other is found alive.

You should try having to see the T-6's on the flightline, and not be able to fly them yet. Nothing like truely strapping in the 34 and knowing the only way out is to climb out.

[donkey]

How long would it take from the time you know you have to get out, including unstrapping and opening the canopy, till you actually jump?

Prayers for those two and their families.

[ripster]

Based on watching/doing the bailout trainer standard answer-it depends. Depends if your in OCF, O2 mask on or not, fumble around with getting the chords released, fumble around getting harness disconnected, fumble around with pulling the canopy emergency open, etc. On the ground trainer maybe 6-9 seconds-ish. Others on here may say "I can do it in five" or "it would take me 10-15 seconds in real world" so it is based on individual's speed and the situation itself. Depends.

[Guest Lumberjack]

Any idea what squadron the pilots are in? I hope the missing pilot is ok.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Lumberjack

[Wolf424]

Checked to see if someone my buddy knew was on their schedule for Friday and all of their SQs had their schedules off the net from Friday. I sure hope they find the other guy/gal...

[letsgofast]

You should try having to see the T-6's on the flightline, and not be able to fly them yet. Nothing like truely strapping in the 34 and knowing the only way out is to climb out.

What's the hold up? Are they still spinning up the IPs?

[ripster]

What's the hold up? Are they still spinning up the IPs?

The hold up was getting the planes I suspect. Now that there are a handful there are more parts to this machine than the IP's. You have the sim dudes, the maintenance/support dudes, the system classes @Whiting, and the logistics of the survival/egress training at API in Pensacola for ground school. Seems like once the planes were there, the IP's and the sim dudes started to spin up. Don't forget the changes to the environment like split-field OPs, and airfield requirements like by adding ILS etc... Lots of moving parts to get them up for training besides spinning up the IPs.

let's take this as a side note and focus on the thread subject which is more important. Awaiting some good news I hope.

[backseatdriver]

Looks like the recovered pilot passed away, CG still looking for the second,

https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,583776,00.html

jp

Headline says dead, but story says rescued. First post said rescued with minor injuries - something doesn't add up. Hope they find the second one soon.

[BQZip01]

Headline says dead, but story says rescued. First post said rescued with minor injuries - something doesn't add up. Hope they find the second one soon.

Honestly guys, let's try not to speculate. The truth will come out soon enough (probably from the families). I wouldn't trust the media...they botch up too much: https://www.minotdailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/535793.html (even the local paper doesn't know the difference between a bomber squadron and a bomb squad)

[flyusaf83]

Any idea what squadron the pilots are in? I hope the missing pilot is ok.

VT-6

[lazlo]

PNJ seems to confirm one alive, the IP still missing. Prayers for him and his family.

Whiting Field pilot presumed dead in crash

[Magellan]

PNJ seems to confirm one alive, the IP still missing. Prayers for him and his family.

Whiting Field pilot presumed dead in crash

Tore up about the news. I had masters classes with Clint he was a good dude.

[ripster]

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/1450606.html

NEW ORLEANS -- Divers have found the body of a Navy pilot whose training airplane crashed Saturday in Lake Pontchartrain.

The Navy says Lt. Clinton Wermers' remains were located about 1 a.m. Wednesday near the airplane.

The 33-year-old Wermers was a native of Mitchell, S.D. He was assigned to a training squadron at Whiting Field in Florida for about three years.

Wermers and a Navy student aviator whose name has not been released crashed in a T-34C Turbomentor airplane about 6:30 p.m. Saturday while on a landing approach to the New Orleans Lakefront Airport.

A Coast Guard boat crew rescued the student Saturday night.

[Breckey]

A toast!

[BamaPilot08]

A Toast to a lost comrade. Lets keep the families in our prayers. Edited January 29, 2010 by BamaPilot08

[donkey]