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| Date: | Tuesday 5 March 1974 |
| Time: | 10:36 |
| Type: |  North American RA-5C Vigilante |
| Owner/operator: | United States Navy |
| Registration: | 149296 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Gulf of Mexico, 45 miles west of NAS Key West, Florida -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | NAS Boca Chica, FL |
| NAS Boca Chica, FL |
Both crew ejected into the Atlantic Ocean after reported mechanical dificulty during a routine training flight. One crew member was rescued. Second has not been found.
On VFR training flight out of NAS Key West there was a fire in the bomb bay followed by total hydraulic failure. Dual ejection at 10,000’. The aircraft was seen trailing flames as it descended into 12-to-18 feet of water. RAN survived and was rescued by a shrimp boat. Good chute for the pilot but no seat pan deployment and he was killed. Despite an extensive search by the Navy his body was not found until March 14 (also by a shrimp boat).
Aircraft was with RVAH-3.
Pilot Lt Frank J. Carson
RAN Lt Commander George A. Comstock
Sources:
http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/A-5.html
Sarasota Herald-Tribune 6 March 1974, p6A
US Navy accident report.
Location
Images:
Photo: U.S. Navy
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-May-2021 17:59 | harro | Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Source, ] |
| 10-May-2021 18:00 | harro | Updated [Source, Photo, ] |
| 15-Jan-2022 16:09 | TB | Updated [Time, Operator, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 11-Jun-2024 12:32 | ChrisB | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
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