Weapons safety: award of distinction

Combat Edge, Oct, 2004 by Timothy A. Burns, Scot J. Morin

The Egress section of the 1st Component Repair Squadron was called upon to inspect a T-37 from Columbus AFB that had the canopy jettison system inadvertently activated by Transient Alert personnel. The Egress section had personnel with previous T-37 experience who immediately responded and worked with QA, the pilot of the aircraft, and 1 FW weapons safety to coordinate an action plan. Upon inspection of the aircraft, MSgt Burns and SSgt Morin determined that the door for the external canopy jettison handle had been mis-marked as the normal canopy opening control handle. They also discovered that the canopy jettison initiator was not safed correctly, and that although the jettison system had been activated, a material failure in the canopy system prevented the canopy from safely separating from the aircraft. This resulted in a partially jettisoned canopy with extensive structural damage to the cockpit area. MSgt Burns and SSgt Morin determined that even though the canopy had not separated from the aircraft, all explosives for the canopy jettison system had been expended and the aircraft was safe to tow. They also coordinated with Columbus AFB Egress section, 1 FW weapons safety, and the local Munitions accountability section to acquire replacements for all expended explosive items and to provide storage of them as well as the ejection seats in the Egress section until repairs were completed. As a result of this incident, a one-time inspection was accomplished at Columbus AFB which found three other T-37 aircraft with mis-marked doors.

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MSgt Timothy A. Burns (not in photo) and SSgt Scot J. Morin, 1st Component Maint. Squadron, 1st Fighter Wing, Langley AFB, Virginia