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| Date: | Friday 25 October 1968 |
| Time: | 23:12 |
| Type: |  North American RA-5C Vigilante |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy |
| Registration: | 151626 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 0 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | USS Forrestal, Ionian Sea between Malta and Sicily -
 Italy
|
| Phase: | Pushback / towing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Forrestal |
| USS Forrestal |
Written off aboard USS Forrestal.
Aboard USS Forrestal at time 2312: An RA-5C fell into the water from starboard side of ship at Elevator No.1. There was a man overboard at the same time. The man was ADJ3 Thomas E. Treadwell from RVAH-12 (jet mechanic must’ve fallen over with the Vigilante). Treadwell’s body was recovered by destroyer USS Owens at Time 2347.
BUNO and Side Number of the RA-5C is not mentioned in the Deck Log. Ship speed was 20 knots but Sea State not mentioned.
USS Forrestal was operating in the Mediterranean at the time with RVAH-12.
Per the US Navy Aircraft History Card there is a discrepancy as to the location of BuNo 151626.
The History Card shows Strike Damage to 151626 on 25 October 1968 with RVAH-12 but at NAS Albany, Georgia.
RVAH-12 was aboard Forrestal in the Mediterranean at that time however.
It appears the Vigilante fell into the water along with the RVAH-12 mechanic who did not survive. The Strike Date, squadron assignment and BuNo all match up.
The US Navy could not locate an accident report related to this incident.
Newspaper accounts state that 3rd Class Petty Officer Thomas Treadwell was acting as the Plane Captain when a cable broke and he was knocked overboard into the sea.
Sources:
http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/A-5.html
US Navy Aircraft History Card
USS Forrestal Deck Log
The Atlanta Constitution 1968-10-28
Location
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Jul-2024 11:19 | ChrisB | Updated [Time, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Photo, ] |
| 13-Mar-2025 11:33 | ChrisB | Updated [Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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