Scariest Moment (Read 4,312 times)

That reminds me of an accident at Sembach Air Base, Germany. 1983

I was at the time a TSgt and I was the ranking jet troop in the maintenance squadron. I was also the ranking specilists of all the career fields. Our APG (Crew Chief) MSgt went PCS back to the states so the APG side of the house did not have a person to step into the flight-chief position. WE had a SMSgt but he was a jet troop and the squadron production superintendent. Next was a Capt who was the Maintenance Officer. Maninng was tight.

One day I was asked if I'd also like to be the flight-chief. I responded something like not really. The SMSgt asked why and I said I've been a single father for almost a full year now, extra duties will take time away from my kids.

The SMSgt was understanding but said, sorry your it and also still in-charge of the specialists because of you being the TSGT. I made the best of it. The SMSgt said that relief was on the way as in 30 days we had a jet engine TSgt arriving from a C-130 base but I still out ranked him. He would take over my spot with the specialists section. I was going PCS myself back home in about 6 - 7 months.

OK, now that the foundation is set for the story.

This TSgt arrived, lets call him "Spanky" you know, change the name to protect the guilty.

Well, he arrived and our SMSgt assigned him to me. Where I go he goes and I train him to take on all my duties when I leave. I could not believe we did not have a MSgt do in PCS at all.
Well I showed him this and that. We took planes to the trim pad, we worked on engines and props, we fueled aircraft, launched and recovered.
He always said, "On C-130's we always do it this way." I always replied, "Well you are not on C-130's now and we do it this way!"
Twice on the trim pad I showed him how to tie-down an OV-10 Bronco.

You know it, that some old comment, "On C-130's we didn't tie-down the aircraft." I'd tell him this is not a big heavy 4 engine transport but a small light 2 engine turboprop and it will jump chocks on you, we tie it down!"
I signed him off on everything except engine run-ups. He worked along with me and all the other engine troops and crew chiefs.
When I was getting ready to go PCS our SMSgt asked me why he was not signed off by me as engine run qualified.
I told him that he can run engines just fine as I have trained him and watched him run engines from the back co-pilots seat.
It was put to me like ---- Well what the hell is the %&^*! problem?
All I could say is that I did not feel safe when he was going to run engines. His mid-set was with C-130's not an OV-10.
Anyway I had to sign him off as engine run qualified before I left PCS as my concerns didn't warrent holding him back. He could run and operated the engines and aircraft systems.

On one of my last processing days while infront of the SMSgt and his desk I said loud enough for the Capt. to hear. "You damn well better keep a close eye on TSgt Spanky as he is an accident waiting to happen." The SMgt and and I just looked at eachother and when I clanced over to the Capt. he was looking at both of us.
Before I walk out I said my good byes to my SMSgt and Capt. Then I said to the SMSgt as we walked to the door. "Please remember what I said, I'd hate to say I told you so if someone gets hurt or worse."

I guess you know what is coming next.

I was at my new assignment at McChord AFB for several months and I got a phone call from a friend who was at Sembach AB. He asked, "Did you here what happened with TSgt Spanky?"
I replied, "No, is anyone hurt or dead?"
He came back with, "No, but he sure left a hell of a mess."
I asked him to tell me all about it.
I don't remember the complete details from start to finish but this is what happened.
A trim run was required on an OV-10 that evening. The aircraft was taken to the trim pad by TSgt spanky and a couple young troops.
This trim pad was inside a metal and dirt reventment. It was dark so two NF2 light carts were positioned on both sided of the nose infront of the engines but further out from the front of the aircraft.
Witnesses said that when TSgt Spanky took the aircraft (OV-10) engine throttles to full power and the engine & props were pulling full torque the aircraft jumped the chocks and sprinted forward. Both props cut into the two NF2 light carts with full force and max RPM's sending pieces of light carts flying. The young airmen were nothing but a$$holes and elbows fleeing for cover and safety. Both props were total losses.
Witness said they never remember seeing him touch the tie-down cable. If he had the aircraft would have not went forward.

A few days later I called my old boss and and said, "I knew he was an accident waiting to happen." The SMSgt said, "Yes you did." I never heard what ever happened to him.

At McChord we had a dude (TSgt) who was also a shakey guy drop a prop of a C-130 engine shaft while installing it with his crew. Badly damaged the prop, and it just missed a co-worker.
He was quickly removed from the flightline and put inshop with us, then transfered to the tool crib where he studied the PFE and SKT books his whole shift. The dude made master before us all and he couldn't be trusted working on aircraft. The guy at Sembach likely made master up front also.

Really...anyone's scarriest moments would be while driving back and forth from home in the car. For me it was 418 miles...back and forth from Holland, Michigan. Quite a formidable journey by any standard...and especially in winter.

I can't remember the exact time frame, but a pilot and myself were doing a walkaround inspection on the flightline in Osan, when we were standing in the armament bay checking out the missles when he heard an airleak. He quickly grabbed me and we hit the ground just as the doors fast closed. Iwill never forget that.

We had a troop almost cut in half at Castle by missile bay doors (had to be a slow close). He was hurt really bad. The base hospital was called to send an ambulance. They took about 20 minutes to get to the squadron area, observing all speed limits and stop signs (about a 4 minute run at emergency speed).

Needless to say our CO, Big John, ripped some new ones with the brass in charge. I've heard the guy lived but I sure would like to get in touch with him to enter his story in "There I was..."

Pat P.
456th FIS

PS: I think it was 1967, we also had a guy working under his car at the base hobby shop and the car fell on him killing him instantly. He may have been a SAC troop. He may have not been using jack stands. After that there were extremely strict rules put in place for working under cars. There was article in the base newspaper, "The Vally Bomber", but I failed to keep a copy.
:us_flag

Another Duece Brown shorts moment with the same crew and fireguards that I had in the 94 episode................. Again at the Griff in the winter time, a heat wave had just gone thru - 10 below and a 10 - 15 mph wind.... getting ready start and taxi to the trim pad......... As the starter ignited, I heard a bang different than what the starter light off sounded like and I saw my fire guards again running like rabbits being chased by a beagle (Sherborn out side of Rome was good rabbit hunting in those days)........Shut everything down and off and jumped out and grapped one of those BIG exting. with the big wheels, pulled the pin and squeezed the handle and it burped and that was it...............Too far to the next one, so I'm filling my hat with snow and packing the compartment with snow, (had already put the fire out on the ground) now if I remember right, that fuel flask held about a quart of fuel, and a quart of JP4 makes one hell of a big fire............ Bout the time I got the fire out, a BIG 0-10 fire truck stops back of the plane and this guy shoves a big nozzle up into the CSD compartment and fills my collar and sleeves with co2, (as if I wasn't cold enough)............ We then checked all the fire exting. on the ramp and found only one that would work - it had had the horn pointing down.........All the others, the valve was frozen closed. We found most of them had 3-4 inches of ice in the horn........ Come to find out, the FD had done an inspection 2 days before and the Civilian repostioned all the horns open end up, it snowed and the next day the sun warmed up those black horns, melted the snow and it froze when the sun went down......... I finally got to replace those 2 fire guards........... Btw the 102 ramp was right in front of the FD, maybe 200ft away and it took them almost an eternity to get that big mother moving my way........................ The Old Sarge