Please excuse the bad word at the end
Squeaky bottom right there.
Wow that was really too close.
1 Like
Close only counts for horseshoes and hand grenades. 
5 Likes
Scary. Wonder if it was a combo of target fixation and perhaps some kind of illusion. That ridge sort of blends into the background… (Apologies that I always look for the “why” in these types of videos…I should probably just keep my speculation to myself…)
7 Likes
First thing I thought of was fixation on the release point. Bet that caused a chat in the cockpit on the way back to base
1 Like
I do too…
I’d like to think it’s because I don’t want to end up in a similar situation.
3 Likes
I wonder what the cockpit smelled like after the successful pull-up! 
2 Likes
I think it might of actually smelled of dirt and pine-needles…
Can’t remember of it was Yeager or someone who returned to base and reported a bird strike to the leading edge of the wing. After the maintenance guys pulled branches out of the leading edge…they asked…“Sir, was that bird still in it’s nest?”
(Story butchered…but you get the idea…)
4 Likes
My stomach still gets tied up in knots doing something like that when I am only sim flying. I don’t even want to venture a guess how they felt in that cockpit. 
Wheels
1 Like
HAHAHAH You gave me a good couple of chuckles there! 
Oh sh!t. That gave me the willies. brrrr.
Perhaps some downdraft that threw his pull-up out of whack?
1 Like
When our squadron participated in Red Flag, there was a mandatory USAF safety film on the optical illusions you can encounter flying low and fast in that kind of terrain. It was really well done with no computer generated effects. One major take away was something like “don’t fly over terrain that rises in elevation faster than your airplane can climb.” Seems like a no brainer but they went on to show how perspectives and lighting conditions can trick you into thinking you are OK when you really are not.
5 Likes
That’s good advice!
And, as you say, not as easy as it appears…
Also, if a long and prosperous career until retirement is part of your objectives, factor in an engine failure.
6 Likes
So I’d like to know, with it being that close - is it likely that ground effect (or a similar build up of air trying to get out of the way) made a cushion that saved the day?
…or do we think it was the “Hail Mary” that the PNF was quietly praying… 
2 Likes
Can we not also consider that the pilot did exactly what he meant to do? He/she was far more aware than any of us regarding terrain and closure rate.
3 Likes
Certainly could be. I sure wouldn’t want to be a crewmember on that if that was the level of acceptable risk though. Unless a crew of guys was about to get burned over or something…so maybe not enough info to judge… 
2 Likes
I don’t consider that option, I’m afraid.
Who would plan for such miniscule margins of error?
My guess is that they meant to clear that ridge with a bigger height margin, but something went wrong. Hard to say what, but it’s a well known fact that terrain looks smaller from above.
But hey, I’m not judging! Those guys need to take risks that you and I don’t, and they have to think on their feet. Mistakes are easily made…
If you look closely, the ridge in the foreground (the one he misses) sort of “blends” in with the ridge in the background. From the aircraft’s perspective??? This is the kind of thing they showed in that USAF Red Flag safety film.
EDIT: I did a quick search for the film. I couldn’t find it but I did find this…it’s…um…interesting, in a slightly disturbing way.
5 Likes
Almost had to have been made in the 1960’s since they are using the B-58 in the beginning of the video.
Wheels