Navy pilot's last act: saving 3 crew mates

[Swede]

Good job,sailor.


The starboard propeller shut down, causing the plane to become unstable and plunge. Zilberman ordered his three crew mates, including the co-pilot, to bail. He manually held the plane as steady as possible so they could jump.

"He held the plane level for them to do so, despite nearly uncontrollable forces. His three crewmen are alive today because of his actions," Navy Rear Adm. Philip S. Davidson wrote to Zilberman's parents.


http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/04/23/navy-pilots-last-act-saving-3-crew-mates.html?sid=101

[EFerrari]

1. A good man and a brave man.

My condolences to those who knew and lost him. We're all impoverished by this loss.

[sarge43]

2. Fair winds and following seas, sir.

Blessed be. Rest in peace.

[lpbk2713]

3. ATTN: G H W Bush

Take notice.

[jody]

4. Most people probably don't know the history behind your comment about George H. W. Bush. n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I do. And I thought of it when I read about this.

He is said to have done the opposite: bailed out of his airplane, leaving a crew member behind. He was the only survivor.

[winstars]

7. A lot of people here remember what Poppy DID NOT DO nt/

[madmom]

14. My first thoughts also!

[Jeanette in FL]

16. My first thought too

When I read it.

[SoCalDem]

10. Yep.. his choice was to bail out & wave buh-byee as they went down with the plane

:puke:

[roody]

5. How sad. I am also thinking about Afghans who died

because of this flight. How sad to immigrate here just to die in an undeclared war and occupation.

[proteus_lives]

8. He wasn't flying a bomber.

Read the article.

[11 Bravo]

11. The E-2C Hawkeye he was piloting does not carry any ordnance.

[Statistical]

17. How sad to go through life so uninformed.

I mean hell there is wikipedia at a minimum. It won't make you a genius but usually couple clicks can keep you from saying something stupid.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-2_Hawkeye

Also these sorts of accidents happen even in non-warzones. The same event (and outcome) could just as easily have happened on training in Virginia.

too bad for you his body was lost as see so you can't piss on him a little more.

[proteus_lives]

9. Heroic.

RIP and Godspeed Lt. Miroslav "Steven" Zilberman.

:patriot:

[Stinky The Clown]

12. . . . .

"Zilberman's last act earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the highest honors the U.S. Navy bestows, Rosi said.

The medal was presented to his wife, Katrina Zilberman, in Norfolk, where she lives with their children, Daniel, 4, and Sarah, 2. A copy of the medal also was given to his parents - Boris Zilberman and his wife, Anna Sokolov - who live in the Eastmoor area of Columbus.

"Now we have unbelievable pain," Sokolov said this week. "He was our one and only son."



And not to forget, as well, the Afghans who make up the other side of the equation.

[Soylent Brice]

13. .

[DemoTex]

15. Sounds like an engine failure inducing a propeller failure.

A propeller that will not feather on a failed engine (multi-engine airplane) is, indeed, a catastrophic event. If that were the case, I am surprised he maintained control of the aircraft for as long as he did.

Heroic, indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iu8y2pvuRg&feature=related