SHEPPARD AFB (KFDX/KJTL) One year after the death of an instructor pilot at Sheppard Air Force Base, United States Air Force Headquarters Air Education and Training Command officials released an incident report on June 23 that detailed what caused the deadly accident.
On May 13, 2024, Captain John “Skins” Robertson of the 80th Operations Support Squadron died from injuries he suffered in an ejection seat mishap during a training mission, according to the report.
During the training mission, a student pilot and Robertson were in the aircraft, and Robertson inadvertently pulled the ejection seat handle, which caused him to be ejected.
Robertson was not connected to a parachute and died from his injuries. The student pilot was not ejected nor injured during this incident.
According to the incident report, evidence showed that the mishap was due to Robertson failing to fully install the ejection safety seat pin during the after-landing checklist.
The report added, “Additionally, during taxi, the instructor pilot partially disconnected from the rear cockpit ejection seat system, including the parachute. During that process of disconnecting from various connection points to the ejection seat, the instructor pilot’s harness chest strap V-ring unknowingly got caught on and inadvertently actuated the ejection seat control handle, initiating the ejection sequence.”
Robertson and the student pilot were both assigned to the 80th Operation Support Squadron and flew with the 89th Flying Training Squadron. Both are subordinate units to the 80th Flying Training Wing at SAFB.
