ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 158623
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Date: | Thursday 12 August 1971 |
Time: | 17:00 |
Type: | Grumman KA-6D Intruder |
Owner/operator: | VA-115, US Navy |
Registration: | 152598 |
MSN: | I-146 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | in Gulf of Tonkin off North Vietnam -
Vietnam
|
Phase: | Combat |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | USS Midway (CV-41) Gulf of Tonkin, North Vietnam |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:KA-6 Intruder BuNo. 152598/'NF-517' of VA‑115, US Navy, as part of CVW-5 on board the USS Midway (CVA-41). Destroyed August 12, 1971: Caught fire in refuelling equipment, and crashed into the Gulf of Tonkin, North Vietnam. Probably the first ever crash and ejection involving a KA-6D Intruder tanker conversion. Both crew - Lt J. S. McMahon (pilot) and Lt Commander B. S. Wade - ejected. According to the following published account of the incident:
"Among the pilots in the squadron was Lt John McMahon, who had joined the unit after a tour with the small A-4-equipped Anti-Submarine Fighter (VSF) community. McMahon would take the honours as the first pilot to eject from a KA-6D when, on 12 August 1971, he and his Bombardier/Navigator Lt Commander Bart Wade were flying overhead the ship at about 1700 hours in 'NF-517' (BuNo 152598) while preparing to have the off-going tanker, a VAQ-130 EKA-3B, check their refuelling package.
The pilot of the 'Whale' saw flames coming out of the rear fuselage and did not hesitate, immediately keying his mike and yelling 'A-RAB! YOU'RE ON FIRE! EJECT, EJECT!'
McMahon and Wade looked at each other with a 'who was that and could they mean us?' thought, and then checked the cockpit indications, which were all normal. Elsewhere, other VA-115 Intruders on the same frequency went through the same drill, with at least one Bombardier/Navigator reportedly having to be restrained by his pilot from pulling his ejection seat handle.
The second call was more succinct; 'A-RAB 517! YOU'RE ON FIRE! EJECT!' It was at about this point the Bombardier/Navigator saw a glow on his side of the fuselage and did indeed pull his ejection handle, leaving McMahon wondering what his right-seater knew that he did not. He duly 'voted Martin-Baker' as well, and was relieved to see the aircraft streaming flames as it headed for the Gulf of Tonkin. Both crew were rescued successfully and soon returned to flight ops. "
Sources:
1. U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Damaged or Destroyed During the Vietnam War By Douglas E. Campbell
2. A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War By Rick Morgan
3.
http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html 4.
http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm 5.
http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
19-Aug-2013 08:24 |
Uli Elch |
Added |
19-Aug-2013 08:37 |
Uli Elch |
Updated [Date, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Total fatalities, Location, Country, Narrative] |
23-Mar-2016 21:49 |
Dr.John Smith |
Updated [Date, Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
23-Mar-2016 21:49 |
Dr.John Smith |
Updated [Narrative] |
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