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| Date: | Sunday 1 April 2001 |
| Time: | 09:20 LT |
| Type: |  Lockheed EP-3E ARIES II |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy |
| Registration: | 156511 |
| MSN: | 5505 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 23 |
| Other fatalities: | 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Hainan Island, South China Sea -
 China
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Okinawa-Kadena AFB (DNA/RODN) |
| Okinawa-Kadena AFB (DNA/RODN) |
Mid-air collision between a Lockheed EP-3E ARIES II (156511) and a Shenyang J-8II (81194) fighter jet near Hainan Island, People's Republic of China, South China Sea. The Shenyang J-8II broke into two pieces and crashed into the sea killing the pilot. As the Chinese fighter was torn in half, debris impacted the EP-3E, cutting through the fuselage and damaging the radome, two of the propellers, and an engine. This plane has suffered substantial damaged, the crew struggled a lot to maintain control, until a emergency landing was made in Lingshui airfield on Hainan Island China.
The United States secured the return of the EP-3E, which China said had to be dismantled first. This was done with the help of Lockheed Martin technicians. This plane was then flown back to the Marietta, Georgia, aboard two Antonov An-124 transports. This plane was reassembled and repaired, adding parts from an NP-3D and the wings of a retired P-3B. It made its first flight after the rebuild on November 15, 2002, and then underwent maintenance and modernization with L3 in Waco, Texas, before being returned to service.
This plane has arrived at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, for future public display.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/api/request/downloadFile/EP-3E_Hainan_Island%202003%20Release.pdf/78083000-523a-432e-8d3c-1d8725b9ff51?x-csrf-token=d3d4e2be-1c7b-4c4f-8b1b-164c05359a8c
https://www.twz.com/air/ep-3e-aries-ii-spy-plane-that-collided-with-chinese-fighter-is-going-on-display
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Dec-2013 15:15 | Alpine Flight | Added |
| 31-Dec-2024 16:37 | FlyWolf | Updated [Source, Narrative, ] |
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