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Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

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  • Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

    Pete Zacaggino had an off field landing in the Vampire. Plane is totaled, Pete is Ok.

  • #2
    Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

    Heard it on the radio. Pretty tough to listen to. Glad Pete's ok
    Sky Critter

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    • #3
      Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

      Any landing you can walk away from......

      As the saying goes


      Any video?

      Flame out?

      Ingestion??

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

        Originally posted by De Camara View Post
        Any landing you can walk away from......

        As the saying goes


        Any video?

        Flame out?

        Ingestion??
        First, we're very glad Pete Z is OK.

        It seemed that he orbited overhead at least twice, then passed from west to east and then turned northwest; in my humble - NON race pilot - opinion, he seemed a bit low and I wondered if he was setting up a downwind for runway 8 or runway 14. Also, we noticed that the speed brakes were deployed (did he have any control of that?) and we could hear the engine running, though it seemed to be at a low power (idle?). As he continued NW, he turned a bit more northerly and then disappeared from view; the dust cloud emerged shortly thereafter.

        Again, we're very glad and relieved that Pete is OK.

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        • #5
          Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

          So where did he put it down? I'm glad he's OK.

          Neal

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          • #6
            Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

            Originally posted by wingman View Post
            So where did he put it down? I'm glad he's OK.

            Neal
            End of 14, well end of 32 it was basically on the 14 numbers
            Reno from '99 to '22

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            • #7
              Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

              What we saw from the VOS...

              Pete exited somewhere between 1 and 3 and made a couple of orbits. I didn't look too serious and I ended up losing track of him as it looked like he was still under power. Next thing I knew he was well past the end of 14, at least a 1/2 mile before he actually touched down. We heard over the radio that he had lost hydraulics. That would explain the lack of landing gear. He came in due north as low and slow as I imagine a vampire could. There was absolutely no chance of making 14 at all. What was kind of strange was the , "I'm going in! Pylon 7!" call on the radio about 1000' before actually going in. Given his approach (right toward 6) he had to know he was going in. He touched down as smooth as you can even imagine although I'm sure it was pretty harry. He jumped right out and walked over to the fire truck which was there directly.
              Last edited by Fence Sence; 09-16-2016, 09:01 PM.
              You'll get your chance, smart guy!

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              • #8
                Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                Originally posted by GRNDP51 View Post
                End of 14, well end of 32 it was basically on the 14 numbers
                Correct. 32 would be the correct direction.
                You'll get your chance, smart guy!

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                • #9
                  Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                  At least it's pretty level out there, by desert standards. As I remember, those Vampires had a reputation as pretty tough birds.

                  Looking at the results, that seems like it was a pretty ragged Jet race. 5 pylon cuts for 6 airplanes, with cuts on 3 different pylons. These guys are running the Unlimited course, right? At their speeds they must be experiencing some pretty serious G loads. Steve Hinton has said that with the current smaller course he sees some pretty high G at times at his speeds...

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                  • #10
                    Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                    Originally posted by wingman View Post
                    At least it's pretty level out there, by desert standards. As I remember, those Vampires had a reputation as pretty tough birds.

                    Looking at the results, that seems like it was a pretty ragged Jet race. 5 pylon cuts for 6 airplanes, with cuts on 3 different pylons. These guys are running the Unlimited course, right? At their speeds they must be experiencing some pretty serious G loads. Steve Hinton has said that with the current smaller course he sees some pretty high G at times at his speeds...
                    Correct, same course as unlimited.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                      His crew told us that the emergency started when the glass came out of the canopy. He pulled power and exited the course. When he went to put power back in to head for a landing, the engine quit making power and he didn't have enough energy to make the runway. He had to put it in the desert with the gear up.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                        Now that sounds like ten minutes he'll never forget...

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                        • #13
                          Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                          Originally posted by Race5 View Post
                          His crew told us that the emergency started when the glass came out of the canopy. He pulled power and exited the course. When he went to put power back in to head for a landing, the engine quit making power and he didn't have enough energy to make the runway. He had to put it in the desert with the gear up.
                          I thought something looked weird. Thanks for the clarification. Not sure where I heard the hydraulic comment. Too much sun, too much beer, too many friends yakking it up. My apologies for any confusion.
                          You'll get your chance, smart guy!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                            Here he is after pulling off the course

                            May all your bent wings be F2G Corsairs!

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                            • #15
                              Re: Vampire jet down. Pilot is OK

                              Can´t believe this.
                              Right at this moment that I´m assembling a 1/48 model kit with the paint scheme of #24 Vampire.
                              I´m so sorry.

                              Glad that Mr. Zaccagnino is well.

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