ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 57258
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| Date: | Wednesday 12 December 1979 |
| Time: | 04:00 |
| Type: |  Grumman KA-6D Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-165, US Navy |
| Registration: | 151566 |
| MSN: | I-48 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Pacific Ocean, off USS Constellation, 100 miles off San Diego, Califor -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Constellation (CVA-64) Pacific Ocean |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Grumman KA-6D Intruder BuNo 151566/'NG-523' of VA-165 "Boomers", land based at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. Based at the time of the accident aboard the USS Constellation (CVA-64). Destroyed December 12, 1979 when crashed a few seconds after launch from carrier about 100 miles off San Diego, California
Both crew - LTJG Gary Scott Shaw (pilot) and LTJG Kenneth Martin Bates Jr - were killed. After SAR efforts were abandoned, both were deemed "lost in accident - Body Not Recovered"
In September 1984, there was a court case brought by the family of Lt. Gary Shaw in relation to the accident (see below and link #4):
"A federal judge yesterday awarded $840,000 to the family of a U.S. Navy pilot who was killed almost five years ago when an attack plane crashed after it was launched from an aircraft carrier. U.S. District Judge Sidney Arono-vitz held Grumman Corp., the manufacturer of the A-6 attack plane, responsible for the crash that killed Lt. j.g. Gary Scott Shaw of Fort Lauderdale and another man on Dec. 12, 1979.
Aronovitz based his decision on testimony by Lt. Cmdr. John Shork, who was an eyewitness to the crash and assistant maintenance officer aboard the USS Constellation at the time. In the opinion, Aronovitz wrote that the plane "pitched violently and suddenly" into the ocean about 100 miles off San Diego within 2 or 3sec-onds after it was catapulted from the Constellation flight deck. The bodies of Shaw, then 27, and his navigator-bombadier, identified in court papers only as Lt. Bates, were not recovered, nor was the plane.
The suit against Grumman was filed by the pilot's father, Edwin Shaw of Miami, on behalf of his son's estate, his son's 2-year-old daughter Kelly and his son's widow, Mrs. Majorie Shaw Daugherty, now married to another Navy flier in Oak Harbor, Wash. In addition to the damages, Aronovitz granted the Shaws the cost of their suit and expressly ruled that the award will not be reduced by the amount of federal benefits the family has received. Grumman had asked the court to subtract federal benefits if an award was granted"
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
2. http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/a6_prowler_files/BATES_Kenneth_Martin/BATES_Kenneth_A_6.htm
3. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseries19.html
4. The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida ·September 13, 1984 Page 45 at https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/129665150/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 30-Mar-2016 16:38 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Date, Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 11-May-2018 19:46 | Anon. | Updated [Narrative] |
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