Accident Grumman A-6A Intruder 154155,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 185844
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Sunday 3 December 1972
Time:morning
Type:Silhouette image of generic A6 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Grumman A-6A Intruder
Owner/operator:VMA(AW)-332 USMC
Registration: 154155
MSN: I-290
Fatalities:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Pamlico Sound, near Beaufort, North Carolina -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Military
Departure airport:MCAS Cherry Point, Havelock, North Carolina (NKT/KNKT)
Destination airport:MCAS Cherry Point, Havelock, North Carolina (NKT/KNKT)
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
A-6A Intruder BuNo. 154155 of VMA(AW)-332 at MCAS Cherry Point, Havelock, North Carolina. Destroyed December 3, 1972: Crashed into Pamlico Sound while practicing low level vis ord when they caught a wing tip on the water while turning inbound to the target. The accident board found that the air crew lost ground reference in the turn due to very bright early morning sun and glare

Both crew - Mike Rohrer (Pilot) and Bob Baurle (Bombardier/Navigator)- did not eject, and both were killed, The crew was recovered several weeks later. According to the following eyewitness report:

"I flew with VMA (AW)-332 at Cherry Point in 1972 and early 1973. We lost an A-6A in the autumn of 1972 on a target down near Beaufort, North Carolina. Mike Rohrer was the pilot and Bob Baurle was the Bombardier/Navigator. They were practicing low level vis ord when they caught a wing tip on the water while turning inbound to the target. The accident board found that the air crew lost ground reference in the turn due to very bright early morning sun and glare. There were no ejections. The crew was recovered still in the cockpit several weeks later after the Navy brought in side-scan sonar to locate the wreckage in the Pamlico sound".

Sources:

1. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
26-Mar-2016 02:49 Dr.John Smith Added
26-Mar-2016 02:50 Dr.John Smith Updated [Time]
13-Jul-2016 05:45 Anon. Updated [Narrative]
27-Dec-2019 22:05 stehlik49 Updated [Operator, Operator]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org