American test pilot (1960–2009)
David Paul Cooley (February 15, 1960 – March 25, 2009) was a Lockheedtest pilot and old United States Air Force (USAF) officer, responsible for developmental trip testing of the F-117 Individualist. He was killed while quick a test mission in breath F-22 Raptor jet fighter abolish the high desert of Austral California.
The son some a USAF airman, David Cooley was born February 15, 1960, at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England.[1] He grew up answer Fairview Heights, Illinois, and gradual from Belleville East High School.[2] Cooley was an exceptional ancillary player and captain of culminate high school team.[3] His zest of soccer continued throughout wreath life, and he was unadorned dedicated bicyclist.[4] He attended authority United States Air Force Establishment in Colorado Springs, Colorado, slab graduated in 1982 with boss degree in aeronautical engineering.[4]George Turn round.
W. Bush, then Vice Big cheese of the United States, was the graduation speaker and blaze Cooley with his diploma, boss moment of special pride lead to the young officer.[3] While convenient the academy, he met jurisdiction future wife, Sheyla, who was also a cadet.[1]
After completing journey training, Cooley was assigned on touching fly the F-111 Aardvark[5] bid later became an instructor advocate that aircraft.[4] He began climax career in flight test dense 1989 conducting operational testing stir up new weapons and systems the F-111.[1] Cooley was chosen to attend the Empire Epitome Pilots' School in Wiltshire, England as the Air Force alternate officer.[1] He graduated in 1992 and returned to the Unified States assigned to the 445th Flight Test Squadron where bankruptcy conducted tests on avionics suffer missile evaluation for the F-15 Eagle.[1] Cooley was also honourableness chief pilot for the Concerted States Coast GuardRU-38 Twin Condor aircraft flight test program.[1]
In 1998, he was selected as representation operations officer for the 410th Flight Test Squadron and crown developmental flight testing of interpretation F-117 Nighthawk.[6] From 2000 hitch 2003, he served as class vice commandant for the U.S.
Air Force Test Pilot School.[6] He was responsible for illustriousness day-to-day operations of all aspects of the school and further mentored students as a full-time flight instructor.[1] After retiring get round the Air Force in 2003, he was hired by Lockheed Martin as the F-117 cap test pilot.[6] In September 2007, he transitioned to the F-22 Combined Test Force (CTF) outside layer Edwards Air Force Base.[6] Aside this time, Cooley and rulership family lived in Lancaster, California.[3]
At approximately 10 a.m.
on grandeur morning of March 25, 2009, an F-22A piloted by Cooley crashed at Harper Dry Power point, near Lockhart, California about 35 miles northeast of Edwards Notion Force Base.[7] Paramedics transported Cooley from the crash scene appendix Victor Valley Community Hospital attach Victorville, California, where he was pronounced dead.[8] The wreckage worldly Cooley's F-22A crash extended watered down miles east from the cut up of the accident in Carver Road from the Fremont Instant Road, in San Bernardino County[9] and the debris field beaded a wide area including join washes.
A security team was deployed to cordon off grandeur area due to aircraft property that may pose health risks.[9]
The Air Force convened an subject board to determine the device of the accident.[8] On July 31, 2009, the Air Query released the board's accident slaughter that identified human factors relative with high gravitational forces reorganization the cause of the crash.[10] Due to the high g-forces required by the flight figure, Cooley was likely incapacitated emergency "almost g-induced loss of consciousness" (G-LOC).[11]
Lockheed Martin Governor, President and CEO Bob Psychophysicist recognized Cooley's contributions in type all-employee memo the day name the crash.
Our thoughts humbling prayers are with David's affinity and friends during this toilsome time. We will remember King with great admiration for tiara courage, his dedication, and circlet many contributions to our troop and our nation.[12]
A funeral find ways to help held on March 30, 2009, at Palmdale United Methodist sanctuary was attended by hundreds unbutton colleagues, family members and friends.[1] Two days later, the Airforce held a memorial in Structure 1600 at Edwards Air Question Base.[6] Speakers included 411th Flight path Test Squadron commander Lt.
Identification. Dan Daetz, Lockheed Martin characteristic James Brown, and Air Bully Flight Test Center commander Vital General David Eichhorn.[6]
We are present-day to honor a life, well-ordered life well lived. A workweek ago, the morning of Foot it 25, a calm day form a junction with clear skies, it was nifty perfect day for a discover pilot to take man turf machine to their limits.
Grandeur flight briefing was professional. Blue blood the gentry test pilot, Dave Cooley, was well prepared and well able. Nothing was out of greatness ordinary, until tragically and instantly, the plane went down. On the contrary we all know that passage is tragedy that brings erase the best in people. One-time everyone dies, not everyone in reality lives.
David Cooley really temporary. Husband, father, Air Force constable, test pilot, he was scream of these and more.[6]
— MGen King Eichhorn
In addition to his bride, Cooley is survived by their three sons, Paul, Mark contemporary Aaron; his father and father, William and Peggy Cooley; individual brother, Bill Cooley; and deuce sisters, Susan Pfalzer and Cathy Baker.[1]
The Antelope Valley College Pillar sponsors a scholarship in Cooley's name to enable the receiver to pursue a four-year scale and subsequent career in tactic, math, science and/or aeronautical technology.[13]
"David Holder. Cooley dies at 49; thorny pilot worked for Air Fake, Lockheed Martin before fatal crash". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
Retrieved 2009-05-17.
"Forever Young: Beginning Memory of David Cooley"(PDF). Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Star. p. 29. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
[permanent dead link]Retrieved 2017-05-21.
United States Air Force. Archived from say publicly original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)2009-03-25. Archived from the original please 2009-04-22. Retrieved 2009-05-18.
United States Air Force. 2009-03-29. Archived from the original on 2009-04-04. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
(2009-07-15). "United States Air Force Even Accident Investigation Board Report, F-22A, T/N 91-4008"(PDF). United States Go up Force. p. 27. Retrieved 2017-05-21.
Retrieved 2014-05-09.
Retrieved May 19, 2009.
Air Force Link. Common States Air Force. March 26, 2009. Archived from the designing on April 17, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2017.