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| Date: | Thursday 6 August 1970 |
| Time: | 17:09 |
| Type: | North American RA-5C Vigilante |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy |
| Registration: | 151617 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Atlantic Ocean, 220 miles off coast of North Carolina -
United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS John F. Kennedy |
| Destination airport: | NAS Albany, GA |
Narrative:Crashed after launch from USS John F. Kennedy. Crew safely ejected.
Port engine failure after No. 2 cat shot on “flyaway” returning to NAS Albany. Day launch. Safe ejection. Rescued by the carrier's helo. “5 seconds after catapult stroke an unusual flame pattern was noted coming from port engine". Vigilante sank in 1700 fathoms (10,000 feet) one mile ahead of USS John F. Kennedy CVA-67. Pilot suffered fractured vertebrae. Both ejected at 200', 20-30 degrees left wing down, 15 degrees nose up, 130-140 knots. Kennedy had been at sea seventeen total operating days from 13 July 1970.
RVAH-14 crew was:
Commander Edward O. Williams pilot
Lt Ralph S. Feeback, RAN
151617 was accepted by the Navy on 17 August 1964 and had accumulated 1,667.8 flight hours.
Sources:
http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/A-5.html US Navy accident report
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