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Queen's Gallantry Medal To Be Awarded To Quick-Thinking Engineer Kevin George Francis Rescued Pilot, Himself After T-33
Accident

A British aircraft engineer who braved intense heat and thick,
acrid smoke to rescue his colleague from the wreckage of a vintage
aircraft accident will be awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.
Kevin George Francis was recommended for the honor for his actions
on September 6, 2006, when he worked for the
Aircraft Restoration Company at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in
Cambridgeshire.

Francis' duties included the maintenance of a Lockheed/Canadair
T-33 aircraft operated from the airfield. On that day, he was in
the rear cockpit of the aircraft as it took off en route to the
Jersey Air Show.

As it sped down the runway, the aircraft failed to get safely
airborne and it left the end of the runway at high speed and still
at full power. The plane cart-wheeled through the air before
hitting the ground and smashing through a line of trees. The
aircraft broke up on impact and there was an explosive ball which
extended more than 100 feet into the air.

Amid the intense heat, burning fuel and choking fumes, Francis
managed to use the plane's emergency knife/hammer to cut a hole in
the cockpit canopy, allowing some of the smoke to escape.
Although he was able to squeeze his way out of the broken canopy,
the pilot was slumped in his seat and did not respond to calls.

Despite flames engulfing parts of the cockpit, Francis ran to
the front of the aircraft and deployed the emergency canopy
jettison mechanism, which fired the canopy clear of the burning
aircraft. This enabled him to climb on to the canopy rail, release
the pilot from his harness and pull him clear.

"My actions on the day were just what came naturally," Francis
said. "I suppose I acted on instinct more than anything. I couldn't
breathe or see properly but I just went on to auto-pilot and acted
like a robot. It was almost like there was someone else in my body
-- a very weird experience."

The QGM is awarded to civilians and military personnel in
recognition of "exemplary acts of bravery". Although the decoration
has been in existence since 1974, fewer than 600 have been
awarded.

"I heard about this incident shortly after it happened and I was
struck by the presence of mind and bravery Mr. Francis displayed -
despite the shock of being involved in such a traumatic accident,"
said Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy.
"Although this is a civilian award and Mr Francis is not a member
of the military, his actions demonstrate the type of gallantry I
would be proud of in any member of the Royal Air Force, and I would
like to offer him my sincere congratulations on receiving this
well-deserved honor."

"This has come as a great surprise to me -- it's quite difficult
to take it in, but of course I am very honored," Francis said of
the award.
FMI: www.duxford.iwm.org.uk/

The engineer recalled one more cartwheel before
coming to a stop. The cockpit filled with smoke and he
sensed that there was a fire behind him. He could see
that there was fire around the canopy but he was unable
to see outside and could not be certain of the aircraft’s
orientation. Consequently, he elected to use the canopy
knife to break through the canopy glazing, rather than
activate the canopy jettison mechanism. Before doing
so, the engineer removed his helmet because the
visor had been damaged in the crash and was further
impairing his vision. Having difficulty breathing, he
initially wielded the knife with his left hand, which was
nearest to the knife stowage, but shortly transferred it to
his stronger right hand, taking some 20 blows to make
a sufficiently large hole through which he could escape.
Meanwhile the pilot, who had briefly lost consciousness,
was also aware of a fire and recalled trying to turn off
switches in the cockpit and unlatching the canopy lock.
He considered jettisoning the canopy but did not do so
because the engineer was in the process of breaking his
way through it.
Once outside the cockpit, the engineer successfully
activated the external canopy jettison mechanism. The
canopy shot approximately 50 ft into the air before
landing about 10 ft from the forward section of the
fuselage. The engineer then climbed on to the side of the
cockpit to help the pilot, who appeared to be motionless
in the front seat, and released the pilot’s harness. The
pilot came to and was assisted out of the cockpit. They
both retreated about 30 m away from the wreckage to
await assistance.
The Airfield Fire and Rescue Service (AFFS) arrived at
1323 hrs and proceeded to extinguish the fires in various
parts of the wreckage. They also established that the
occupants of the aircraft were clear of the aircraft and
started to render first aid until paramedics arrived. The
pilot, who had received various minor injuries, was taken
to hospital by ambulance and was retained overnight.
The engineer, who was apparently uninjured apart from
a small cut and some bruising, was eventually given a lift
back to his crew room. He was subsequently diagnosed
with a broken rib and suffered mild concussion. The pilot
sustained a lower back injury and mild concussion, in
addition to lacerations to his legs and multiple bruising.

The engineer showed remarkable presence of mind
during the accident, and his subsequent recall of events
was a significant help during the investigation.

From ANN:
Queen's Gallantry Medal To Be Awarded To Quick-Thinking Engineer Kevin George Francis Rescued Pilot, Himself After T-33
Accident