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| Date: | Tuesday 8 January 1980 |
| Time: | 19:00 |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6E Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-75, US Navy |
| Registration: | 158050 |
| MSN: | I-508 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | USS Saratoga (CVA-60) 100 miles E of Jacksonville, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA (NTU/KNTU) |
| USS Saratoga (CV-60) off Jacksonville, Florida |
A-6E Intruder BuNo, 158050/'AC-501' of VA-75, as part of CVW-3 on board the USS Saratoga. Destroyed January 8, 1980: after routine naval operations off the coast of Florida, Lt. Charles "Chuck" Morrow (pilot) and the Commanding Officer of VA-75 Commander. Anthony J. "Tony" Lynch (navigator), headed back to the ship. Lt. Morrow was landing an A-6E Intruder jet on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, USS Saratoga, about 100 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida at about 7 p.m.
The aircraft had a "hook skip" over the 4 wire and had a left to right drift. The aircraft's right wing struck several parked planes on Cat 2 during the night landing and then the aircraft cartwheeled into the ocean and upon hitting the cold water exploded.
A search failed to find the plane or the men although some small parts were recovered. The Navy ended its search late that night and listed the men as missing and presumed dead.
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries20.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20171111064728/http://www.navy.mil:80/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=65
4. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=110799615
5. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=119101937
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 30-Mar-2016 18:04 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 30-Mar-2016 18:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 15-Jan-2018 19:21 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 05-Aug-2018 06:40 | Trip Wiggins | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 23-Feb-2025 08:52 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative, ] |
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