I have a story maybe a "OLD" Naval aviator could comment on. I witnessed this while stealing a smoke after lunch at Glenbrook North HS in either 1963 or 64. Must have been a Friday when the early bird weekend warriors started doing touch and goes at Glenview NAS.
I witnessed a FJ Fury taking off to the North. Several miles away but I clearly saw the canopy depart and then the pilot. The airplane was going down straight ahead but then to my horror it leveled off and turned left towards me and my friend who were standing in the parking lot of the school. We had no time to do anything....The airplane crashed into the back yard/basement of a house half a block north of the school. Fire but not that bad??? We ran down there and my friend Scott grabbed the home owner, an older lady who was going to go back into the house to rescue her cat. As I recall the cat got out too....
That's all I know for sure. As I recall the news paper/TV new said the airplane had an auto restart that the pilot should have turned OFF before he ejected? Anyone left who has flown a Fury. I don't know which model? Maybe F86's are similar?
Jets are dangerous for sure. My flight instructor's brother was killed years ago in a T38 as I recall in a spin of some sort.
Based on my age I suspect any Fury drivers have to be in their 80's now?
Jack
PS
Found this on Chicago Tribune site
Sept., 1963: Kim and Jeff Stewart of Aurora view the type of Navy jet fighter plane that crashed into a Northbrook home the previous day. The pilot ejected himself from the jet before the crash, and while the home was destroyed, no one was injured. The jet missed Glenbrook North High School by just a few blocks.
— U.S. Navy, Sept. 18, 2014
I witnessed a FJ Fury taking off to the North. Several miles away but I clearly saw the canopy depart and then the pilot. The airplane was going down straight ahead but then to my horror it leveled off and turned left towards me and my friend who were standing in the parking lot of the school. We had no time to do anything....The airplane crashed into the back yard/basement of a house half a block north of the school. Fire but not that bad??? We ran down there and my friend Scott grabbed the home owner, an older lady who was going to go back into the house to rescue her cat. As I recall the cat got out too....
That's all I know for sure. As I recall the news paper/TV new said the airplane had an auto restart that the pilot should have turned OFF before he ejected? Anyone left who has flown a Fury. I don't know which model? Maybe F86's are similar?
Jets are dangerous for sure. My flight instructor's brother was killed years ago in a T38 as I recall in a spin of some sort.
Based on my age I suspect any Fury drivers have to be in their 80's now?
Jack
PS
Found this on Chicago Tribune site
Sept., 1963: Kim and Jeff Stewart of Aurora view the type of Navy jet fighter plane that crashed into a Northbrook home the previous day. The pilot ejected himself from the jet before the crash, and while the home was destroyed, no one was injured. The jet missed Glenbrook North High School by just a few blocks.
— U.S. Navy, Sept. 18, 2014
