Accident Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II 78-0604,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 56139
 
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:Friday 1 May 1987
Time:
Type:Silhouette image of generic A10 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II
Owner/operator:303rd TFSqn USAF
Registration: 78-0604
MSN: A10-0224
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Location:Republic, Mo. 20 miles SW of Springfield, MO -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Military
Departure airport:Richards Gebaur AFB
Destination airport:
Confidence Rating: Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources
Narrative:
A-10A 78-0604 of 303rd TFS, USAF, operating out of Richards Gebaur AFB crashed 1/5/1987 when performing aerial low-level training flight manoeuvres, crashed and exploded at Ash Grove, about 20 miles south of Springfield. MA, near Interstate 44. Pilot- Maj. James B. Coutts (aged 39) - killed

Per a contemporary newspaper report (New York Times 3/5/1987):

"The pilot of a military jet who was performing aerial maneuvers was killed when his plane crashed and exploded Friday night, the authorities said.

The Air Force said the pilot was on a low-level training flight, but the police said he was buzzing a house.

The pilot, Maj. James B. Coutts, a 39-year-old resident of St. Louis, died when his A-10A Thunderbolt jet crashed about 20 miles south of Springfield near Interstate 44. No one on the ground was injured, the police said.

The pilot knew people in the area and was being observed as he performed maneuvers, said Sgt. Vern Reynolds of the Missouri Highway Patrol, adding, ''He had been kind of buzzing their house off and on all afternoon.''

Bill Barber, a spokesman for Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, where Major Coutts was stationed, said he was supposed to be flying low."

Sources:

1. http:// www.scramble.nl (Scramble 249)
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20171019033444/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/A-10_Thunderbolt_II.htm
3. http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1978.html
4. http://warthogaircraftdatabase.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/fy-1978-aircraft.html
5. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/03/us/doing-jet-maneuvers-flier-is-killed-in-crash.html

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
01-Jul-2012 12:09 harro Updated [Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Source, Narrative]
23-Aug-2013 20:59 Dr.John Smith Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
23-Aug-2013 21:03 Dr.John Smith Updated [Source, Narrative]
24-Aug-2013 06:06 Anon. Updated [Source, Narrative]
08-Aug-2019 19:50 Anon. Updated [Location]
23-Nov-2020 12:41 Anon. Updated [Operator, Location, Operator]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org