Gripen Crash Blamed on G-Forces

Posted on: May. 24th, 2007 || Source: sr.se | E-mail Article | Print Article

Gripen Crash Blamed on G-Forces

According to test results carried out by the Swedish Accident Investigation Board, high G-forces were the mostly likely cause of a Gripen fighter aircraft crash in April.

The crash happened when the plane apparently ejected its pilot and then crashed.

Immediately after the crash on April 19, the pilot claimed he had not pulled his ejector cord.

With the help of flight simulators the board has recreated the events leading up to the crash. The tests show that when G-forces were sufficiently high, the plane’s ejector seat is triggered, catapulting the pilot from the aircraft.

The board would not say at what G-force the seat was activiated, saying only, ”It is high.”

Exactly why this happens remains a mystery, although the board continues to run tests on the ejector mechanism. Investigators are to publish a full report on the incident in August.

The crash was the third to hit operational Gripens, although in each crash, the pilots have survived.
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