ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 69567
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| Date: | Saturday 7 February 1987 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet |
| Owner/operator: | VMFA-122 USMC |
| Registration: | 161971 |
| MSN: | 189/A150 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Twenty-Nine Palms, California -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Twenty-Nine Palms, CA |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
7th February 1987 USMC F/A‑18A Bu No 161971 'DC' of VMFA‑122 caught fire on take‑off and crashed at Twenty Nine Palms, when centerline fuel tank cap was not properly secured and overpressurized blowing the cap off, sending fuel into both engines, causing dual engine failure. Pilot -Lt.Col. P. Sullivan - ejected safely
Fuel cap was not separated from the centerline drop tank but it was not seated properly and the locking tab was not down. Fuel-air mixture was expelled from fuel cap once the airplane sensed weight off wheels and bleed air pressurized the drop tank. The aerosolized fuel was ingested into both engines causing almost instantaneous catastrophic damage.
Sources:
http://web.archive.org/web/20171101192138/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/f_18_hornet.htm
http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries21.html
Images:
What was left
On take-off just after fuel tank pressurized.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 06-Apr-2012 12:02 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Dec-2014 07:06 | Anon. | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 03-Dec-2014 07:06 | Anon. | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 08-Feb-2020 18:38 | Iwosh | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 11-Aug-2023 19:03 | Mountain | Updated [[Operator, Operator]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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