VPNAVY VP-9 Mishap - Soviet Shot Down 22JUN55 - No Loss Of Life
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MishapVQ-2 MishapMishap

1960's

MishapsMISHAPs: "...THE MARTIN P4M MERCATOR - by Richard R. Burgess and Robert F. Dorr. Squadrons Mentioned: VC-11, VP-21, VQ-1, VQ-2, VW-1, VW-2 and VW-3..." Forwarded by Mike Yared mike_yared@hotmail.com [09MAY2006]

On 6 January 1958, a NAF Port Lyautey, Morocco-based P4M-1Q belonging to VQ-2 (bureau no. 124373) crashed at Ocean View, Virginia. Four crewmen were killed and two injured. The fuselage of the aircraft opened up directly in front of radioman Tom York and he walked out, unfazed and unscathed.

UPDATE "...1958 Press Photo Navy PM Plane Wreckage at House in Norfolk, Virginia..." WebSite: EBay http://www.ebay.com/ [24NOV2014]

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1980's

MishapsMISHAPs: 25 JAN 87 A/C: EA-3B LOCATION: USS Nimitz CVN-68 On 01/25/1987 Contributed by HERNDON, AMHC John D. Retired herndonjohn@hotmail.com

Retired Chief John Herndon here, I was attached to VQ-2 1980-1991 then 1996-1999, I researched and complied VQ-2's Accidents and Crash data and provided it to VQ-2's, it can also be viewed at http://www.portlyautey.com/ecm-2.htm.

I recently attended the dedication of a VQ-2 EA-3B on 13 July 2004 at Fort Meade MD. The EA-3B was made as a memorial to honor a VQ-2 Ranger 12 crew that was lost in 1987 *see below narrative* The aircraft that was used was a VQ-2 Desert Storm Veteran EA-3B BUNO 146448 Ranger 006, painted now as Ranger 12.

EA-3B was attempting to land on the USS Nimitz CVN-68 at night during blue water operations off of Lebanon. Aircraft attempted to catch the arresting gear wire 5 times to no avail. During one of the bolters the EA-3B drop out of view below the flight deck almost impacting the water. After regaining altitude the aircraft was running low on fuel with less than 800lbs left, the aircraft then meet up with the A-7 tanker which would not work because the buddy store was spewing fuel every where (No Joy). Due to the low fuel state the EA-3B was unable to make it to a shore base and it was decided to launch the KA-6B tanker. It was then determined that the A-6 couldn't be launched due to it was blocked in on the bow by other aircraft from the last recovery. After a discussion between the aircraft, CAG and VQ-2 CO, It was ruled out for the crew to bail out or ditch into the cold Mediterranean water. The barricade was rigged, then it was discovered that a big wrench used to tighten up the barricade was missing, so the barricade was sagging 8 foot. The EA-3B made a really nice approach to the carrier descending toward the barricade at a high angle, once near the barricade the LSO told the pilot to "Cut, Cut" meaning kill the engines, the pilot failed to do so flying into the barricade really high hitting the nose landing gear on the sagging barricade ripping it back and slamming the A-3 into the deck then skidding down the flight deck and off the angle into the sea. The rescue Helo hovered above the A-3 not noting any movement inside; the helo SAR swimmers did not enter the A-3. After 13 minutes of floating the EA-3B sank with its 7 men crew to the bottom of the sea.

The ceremony was attended by numerous previous VQ-2 CO's Capt. Jack Taylor, Capt. Quigley, Capt. Clark, Capt. Draper. AVCM Avelar, AMHC Herndon, AEC Thio, CTC Spauding, ATC Lunde, AFCM Cooker, AT2 BJ Johnson, LT Farrington.

Ranger 12 info:

CREWNAMES: KILLED: (7) LT Alan A. Levine, Pilot. LCDR. Ronald R. Callander, Nav. LT Stephen H. Batchelder, _Eval. LT James D. Richards, _Eval. AT2 Richard A. Herzing, ESM OP. Note: Took flight from AT2 Michael Lunde in order to get his 100 traps in the EA-3B. CTI3 Craig R. Rudolf, Intel. CTI3 Patrick R. Price, Intel.

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1990's

MishapsMISHAPs: 00 SEP 97 A/C: EP-3E P3 Orion LOCATION: Souda Bay, Crete TYPE: Ran Off Runway SRIKE: Yes DEATHS: 00 Minor Injuries In VQ-2 Incident...A VQ-2-based EP-3E Aires II ran off the runway at Souda Bay, Crete, during the early morning hours Tuesday during a routine training mission. Only minor injuries were reported among the 24 servicemembers aboard. The aircraft sustained damage to the port side wing and engine number one. The cause of the incident was unknown at press time, but is under investigation. The EP-3E Aires II is a surveillance aircraft based on the P-3 Orion airframe. Though VQ-2 is based in NS Rota, Spain, the squadron deploys aircraft to Souda Bay, where the incident occured..." Rota Coastline News Thursday, 25 September, 1997 WEBSITE: http://www.omeganet.es/coastline/current.html

UPDATE "...Aircraft veered off the runway at Souda Bay, Crete, left wing clipped a sand pile after it veered off the runway. The impact caused its nose to grind into the ground and the plane caught fire. All crewman excaped with minor injuries..." - In response to a number of inquiries about a P-3 accident - here is the latest I have..." Contributed by HERNDON, AMHC John D. Retired herndonjohn@hotmail.com [Photo's Updated 16SEP2002 | Photo's Updated 13SEP2002 | 18OCT98]

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UPDATE P3 Mishap "...EP-3E #157320 after recovery from the crash site (photo: unknown)...The struck EP-3E (crashed in Crete) airframe is now in storage a Raytheon Systems Company facility in Waco (Texas), pending funding of a replacement aircraft to donate mission systems and components to..." Contributed by Marco P.J. Borst p3orion@wxs.nl WebSite: http://p3orion.nl/index.html [17APR99]

UPDATE "...Impressive transport of P-3 fuselage...Two photos of EP-3E 157320 "the morning after" at Souda Bay...Whenever you crash your P-3 anywhere in the world...these photos prove that your plane can be taken home for repairs. The C-5B Galaxy does the job!! (all photos: photographer unknown)...See ALL Photo's at: http://p3orion.nl/news.html..." [26MAR2000]

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