ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 201348
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| Date: | Wednesday 8 July 1959 |
| Time: | 08:45 |
| Type: |  Douglas A4D-2 Skyhawk |
| Owner/operator: | United States Navy (USN) |
| Registration: | 142817 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | E of Victorville, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Unknown |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Hancock |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The Commander of VA-155 took off from the USS Hancock in Douglas A4D-2 142817 with one other A4D-2. Their flight plan was to include a low altitude simulated special weapon attack mission over the Mojave and Colorado deserts en route to El Centro NAF before returning to the USS Hancock.
At about 08:30 an explosion occurred in the J65 jet engine of 142817. The pilot immediately jettisoned his external fuel tanks and the inert practice weapon. He then tried to gain as much altitude as possible before ejecting. Sadly, the ejection seat did not carry him high enough to allow full parachute deployment. The A4D-2 crashed into a ridge in the Stoddard Mountains and exploded scattering wreckage over a wide area. The pilot was killed.
The official Navy investigation found that mechanical/engine failure was the primary cause of the accident.
Sources:
San Bernardino Sun 9 July 1959, p1 (C section)
https://aircraftwrecks.com/monuments/a4d-2.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Nov-2017 21:12 | TB | Added |
| 30-Jan-2022 14:20 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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