[John Fitzpatrick]

While I was going through pilot training we had a solo student in the T-38 phase loose an engine during take-off. At first he thought he should abort so he throttled back, then thought better of it and went to afterburner to continue the take-off. When he saw he wasn't accelerating, he jerked the throttle back and stood on the brakes. If he had stuck with either decision, he would have been okay, but the old saw “running out of runway and ideas at the same time” came to pass, and the aircraft slid off the end of the runway, and into the weeds, shearing off the gear in the process. It continued for some distance and the ejection mechanism-damaged by debris - caused the canopy to blow and the "butt-kicker" to fire. This threw the student out of the cockpit and out in front of the aircraft which slid over his legs as it came to a stop.
Now the kid is laying there, trapped under the wing, the engine is still running and fuel spilling onto the ground all around him. He said he was crossing himself expecting to die when he felt someone grab him under the arms and pull him free.
It turns out a Mexican grounds maintenance worker was mowing the grass beside the perimeter road, and when he saw the huge cloud of dust the crash threw up, he jumped off the mower and ran over to see if he could help. The aircraft exploded a few minutes after they got clear. The next day the Wing Commander escorted the man on a tour around the flight line and it was kind of touching-- as word of who it was got around, people stopped what they were doing, turned around, and applauded. You’ve never seen somebody look so proud!