A-10 makes wheels-up landing at Edwards

[tigershark]

A-10 makes wheels-up landing at Edwards

by 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

3/27/2008 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II made an emergency landing here without its landing gear at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

The aircraft was participating in a Green Flag sortie out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The plane, which had one person aboard, was assigned to the 75th Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

The pilot safely exited the aircraft unharmed and was evaluated by flight surgeons here before being released.

"Edwards is uniquely suited to handle these kinds of in-flight emergencies," said base officials. "Not only do we have first responders who are well-prepared and equipped to work these incidents, Edwards has the benefit of an enormous lakebed, which can provide a soft landing for any aircraft in distress."

Although a lakebed landing was an option, the A-10 performed a landing on the base's primary landing strip, Runway 22, officials said.

A board of officers will investigate the incident.

Link
http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123091878

[Ramon]

Hello nonpilot,

Glad the pilot was save, and as I can see from the photographs will
the A-10 also soon be back in service. However is a new GAU-8
needed, or they will have a very wide and spread gun range 

Strange accident however. Due the fact the A-10 is designed to
release the gear mechanically, and the gear will come down by
gravity and the airstream (as the gear is retracted forward).

Regards, Ramon

[tigershark]

Good catch with "the gear comes down with gravity" I didn't know that.    I read a book about A-10s in the first Gulf War years ago, I should read up a little more about the aircraft.  I guess in time more information will be released and glad the pilot alright.