Commander George Duncan Survives Crash in F9F Panther

A Spectacular Crash

In this footage, we get to see an F9F Panther piloted by Commander George C Duncan crash on the USS Midway on July 23, 1951. 

On his second test flight, he was coming in for his trap landing, but as he descended, he caught an air pocket, causing him to dip below the flight deck. Fortunately, he managed to kick his plane’s nose upwards as the plane smashed into the carrier’s deck, splitting the plane in half.

While the force of the impact popped the canopy off his cockpit, he managed to stay strapped in his seat, alive. While Duncan’s ears were scorched badly, he somehow managed to make it out alive and survive the crash.

With how bad it looked, you’d never think the pilot could have survived such a tragic crash!