ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 57213
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.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Thursday 14 April 1988 |
| Time: | 21:00 |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6E Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-145, US Navy |
| Registration: | 158796 |
| MSN: | I-532 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | near Sunrise Peak, about 25 miles south of Chehalis, Washington -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | NAS Whidbey Island, Washington (NUW/KNUW) |
| NAS Whidbey Island, Washington (NUW/KNUW) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A-6E Intruder BuNo. 158796/'NE-511' of VA-145, based at Whidbey Island NAS, Washington. Crashed April 14. 1988 during training mission in southwestern Washington; came down about halfway between Riffe Lake and 5,892-foot Sunrise Peak near the Lewis-Skamania county line, about 25 miles south of Chehalis, Washington. Both crew - Lt (JG) John W. Barker (pilot) and Lt Brian C. Hawley (bombardier/navigator) - were killed. According to a contemporary newspaper report (see link #4):
"Navy bomber's wreckage found; no word on Shelbyvile pilot
By GARY BURROWS Staff Writer and the Associated Press
"OAK HARBOR, Wash. The wreckage of an A-6E Intruder bomber flown by a Shelbyville native from the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station was spotted late Friday about 25 miles southeast of Chehalis in southwestern Washington, Civil Air Patrol officials said. There was no immediate word on the fate of those aboard, who were identified earlier by Mary Ann Heiserman at the base as Lt. j.g. John W. Barker, 28, the pilot, of Shelbyville and Lt. Brian C, Hawley, 25, bombardier and navigator, of Lake Tahoe, Calif. The main spokeswoman at the base, Mariana Graham, said after the wreckage was spotted, "I just can't confirm anything until next of kin have been notified"
The wreckage was from the missing plane. Squadron officials in Portland said they were awaiting word from those aboard the chopper and other search crews. Moses gave the location as a rugged area about 4,000 to 5,000 feet elevation and about halfway between Riffe Lake and 5,892-foot Sunrise Peak near the Lewis-Skamania county line.
The $32 million jet vanished Thursday on a training flight from the base near this island town to the Boardman bombing range in Eastern Oregon. It was last reported just south of Chehalis. At the rescue squadron headquarters, Lt. Col Bill Scarboro said a fixed-wing HC-130 Hercules aircraft and three helicopters had tried to search along a 40-mile corridor from Chehalis to Hood River, Ore., but had only been able to cover the southern half because of low clouds from about Sunrise Peak to Chehalis.
By the time the clouds lifted in the north, the search had been turned over to the CAP, Scarboro said. at his wedding, Don said. Since then, they've kept in touch by telephone. For the last several months, Barker was stationed on the USS Ranger, an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean, his brother said. Despite the tension, "We're holding up real well about as well as can be expected ' Don added.
Parker also has two sisters and two brothers besides Don. The plane's last recorded position was south of Chehalis, about 75 miles north of Portland, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Michael Cobb, who cited flight records at King County International Airport in Seattle. The plane left Whidbey at 8:35 a.m. Thursday. Larry Moses of Aero West Aviation at the Certralia-Chehalis Airport said CAP search crews summoned a military helicopter "from the Air Force Reserve's 304th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, based in Portland, Ore., and confirmed that Barker is' the son of Wayne and Nancy Barker of Shelbyville.
Barker's brother, Don, 27, said, "We haven't heard anything. We're kind of being left in the dark." Parker's brother said the base commander has been keeping in touch with the family regularly, the last time about 4 p.m. Friday. We probably won't know anything until tomorrow (Saturday) morning." He said at about 9:30 p.m. Friday the family had not been notified yet that the wreckage was found. Besides the family's obvious concern, they have added reason to get in touch with Barker. His wife, Rhonda, gave birth to his daughter Friday.
Barker is a 1977 graduate of Shelbyville High School, where he played football and wrestled. He entered the Navy three years ago after earning a degree in business from Southern Illinois University in 1982. "When he got out of college, jobs were short. So he thought the Navy was a good idea," Don said. The last time his family saw him was 10 months ago."
Sources:
1. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries20.h
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
4. Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois April 16, 1988 Page 1 at https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/83567900/
5. Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois February 19 1989 Page 1 at https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/92505867/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 04-Apr-2016 15:00 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Apr-2016 15:10 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 04-Apr-2016 15:12 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [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:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation