This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Thursday 17 January 1991 |
| Time: | night |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6E Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-35, US Navy |
| Registration: | 161668 |
| MSN: | I-645 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 10 nautical miles South West of Airfield H‑3, Western Iraq -
 Iraq
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Saratoga (CV-60), Red Sea, off Iraq |
A-6E Intruder BuNo. 161668/'AA 510' of VA-35, US Navy, based on board the USS Saratoga (CVA-60). Lost on combat operations on January 17, 1991 as part of Operation "Desert Storm": shot down by SAM 10 nautical miles South West of Airfield H‑3, in Western Iraq
Both crew - Lt Robert Wetzel (pilot) and Lt Jeffrey Zaun (bombardier/navigator) ejected and were taken as POWs. Both were later released, on March 3, 1991 after 47 days in captivity
Sources:
1. Flight International 13-19 May 1992 p. 24 at https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1992/1992%20-%201220.html
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries21.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
5. http://web.archive.org/web/20171111064728/http://www.navy.mil:80/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=65
6. http://www.pownetwork.org/gulf/wd019.htm
7. http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-03-08/news/1991067213_1_robert-wetzel-farber-prisoners-of-war
8. http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-14/news/mn-662_1_former-gulf-pow-zaun
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 14-Jan-2009 10:45 | harro | Updated |
| 04-Apr-2016 19:27 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation