In the high-stakes world of military aviation, emergencies are not a question of if but when. This was rather dramatically brought into focus in 1992 for F-14 Tomcat pilot Mark Vizcarra during a training mission over Arkansas. An incident-the stuck position of the swept-back wings of Vizcarra’s aircraft tested his skill and training.
The variable-swept wings adjusted to speed on the F-14 Tomcat suffered a critical failure during a near Mach-1 flight while engaging F-15 Eagles. “I knew something was wrong when the buffeting never subsided,” recalled Vizcarra, who in this case was playing the role of a Soviet Su-27. A glance confirmed his worst fears: the wings were still swept back.
Even with the available option to control the wings manually, attempts by Vizcarra to retrieve the situation did not work. His Radar Intercept Officer, Rick “Rico” Jordan declared an emergency, and both were preparing for a landing the world had never seen. The challenge was huge: to land a high-speed aircraft without flaps or wing spoilers on an 8,000-foot runway in Dallas.
Vizcarra’s extensive training became priceless. He had repeatedly practiced for this very scenario in simulators, even when instructors told him it was an unlikely event. “Thank God I did because four years later, I found myself in that position and I used the very procedures I developed,” Vizcarra reflected.
As they approached the runway, the situation grew more tense. The Tomcat was a “flying dart,” and would have to touch down at approximately 200 knots, much faster than the normal 135. Arresting gear on the runway, installed to simulate carrier landings, was their only hope of stopping the aircraft in time.
“We dumped fuel to lighten the weight to get the approach airspeed as low as possible,” Vizcarra explained. The CO reassured them: that emergency vehicles were ready, and LSOs awaited his landing. All of the practice in meticulous detail paid off when Vizcarra brought the Tomcat down exactly where he needed it, snagging the arrestment cable at maximum allowable speed.
It was the following day’s post-flight analysis of computer data that revealed a fractured titanium gear controlling the wings. The LSOs, whose critical task it is to guide pilots into the base through bad weather, among other things, were impressed at Vizcarra’s performance: “Man…you’re like a bullet with tires–we didn’t even have time to transmit back when you called the ball!” one LSO said.
The incident was significant; it showed not only how much emphasis should be placed on rigorous training but also how capricious military flying could be. The case of Vizcarra illustrates preparedness in acquiring the skill to negotiate such difficult situations.