Never Give Up

 by Sqn Ldr Imran Khalid

After the last dive bombing attack on Jamrud range, I pulled up but the controls felt much heavier. Glancing inside, I saw that the retract pressure had dropped to 50 kg/cm2 with light on. I gave call to my No 3 and started to head towards the base. Enroute after taking appropriate actions for the emergency, I tried to lower my gears by emergency method. The right main gear did not lower. Meanwhile, No 2 & No 4 of the formation had called initials whereas my No 3 (who was my Squadron Commander) stayed with me. I went towards the Pimple Hill and now carried out –ve & +ve G’s, push and pulls to release the gears but to no avail. During all this, my fuel figure dropped to a dangerously low level & my No 3 asked me to climb up for a planned ejection.

Keeping in mind the consequences of ejecting from A-5, I decided to give it a last but a “Barbarian” try. Therefore, I accelerated above 700 KPH, pushed the stick forward with all my force and then pulled back with the hardest possible jerk and with a “thud” right gear came down. After confirming all the gears down and locked, I headed for direct inner down wind for landing as my low fuel Wx light was on. Another aircraft called short finals as I was about to turn for the base. After rolling out on finals, I saw the wing tanks of the front aircraft getting jettisoned and rolling on the runway. Shortly after that, one crash tender (which was standing-by for my aircraft along the runway) entered the runway and started rushing behind that aircraft. I saw all this happening when I was about to flare out. As I did not have any fuel to go-around, therefore, I decided to land out of the same approach. After touch down, I avoided the jettisoned tanks of the front aircraft by doing some zig-zags and finally came under control.

Lessons

  • Never give up and go all out to bring the situation under control.
  • Be prepared for the worst.
  • Do not stop thinking beyond the academic checklist and Dash-1 procedures.

Published in PAF Flight Safety News Letter - 1/97