A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts.
An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle’s left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by.
A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it’s not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion.
“Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,” the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time.
We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided.
This is a developing story.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
