Passenger accidentally activated ejector seat
A passenger in an air force display team shot himself 100 metres
into the sky when he accidentally activated the ejector seat.
The man was reaching for something to steady himself during a
mid-air manoeuvre when he pulled on the black and yellow emergency
handle between his legs.
As soon as it was activated, the ejection sequence activated two
rockets attached to the back of his chair, shooting him through the
jet's perspex canopy.
The man, who has not been named, later floated back down to
Earth on a parachute which opened automatically.
South African Air Force bosses scrambled a helicopter to pick up
the passenger after the blunder near Langebaanweg airfield, 80
miles north of Cape Town.
The incident happened shortly after he took off for a joyride in
the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II jet with an experienced pilot from South
Africa's Silver Falcons air display team.
Experts said the man was lucky to escape unharmed following the
bizarre incident.
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