ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 57194
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| Date: | Friday 15 February 1991 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6E Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | VA-85, US Navy |
| Registration: | 155602 |
| MSN: | I-328 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | USS America (CVA-66), Persian Gulf, off Iraq -
 Iraq
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS America (CVA-66), Persian Gulf |
| USS America (CVA-66), Persian Gulf | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A‑6E Intruder BuNo. 155602/AB 513 of VA‑85, US Nay, based on board the USS America (CVA-66): crashed February 16, 1991 onto the USS America (CVA-66) in the Persian Gulf. Both crew - Lt Commander J. "Mac" Williams (pilot) and Lt. L. Fox (bombardier/navigator) - ejected. (See also September 18, 1991). According to the following eyewitness report:
"A/C did not break-up or crash into the deck upon landing. A/C took several AAA hits but was able to return to USS America. A/C was losing hydraulic fluid and after a successful trap, did not have brakes after disengaging the arresting cable. The tail hook was down and subsequently the nose-wheel steering was centered. Pilot could neither retract the tail hook, steer or stop the A/C due to the fluid loss.
As the A/C approached the end of the deck, unable to stop, the pilot and BN ejected. The A/C nosed over the deck, coming to rest tail-up without going completely over. At this point the rest of the returning strike is in the pattern and low on gas. All available deck crew were summoned to push the A/C overboard to clear the deck so the rest of the strike could recover. The A/C was by all means repairable (it flew back to the ship) but time did not permit the use of the crane to move it out of the way.
I was an ASM with VAW-123 and a witness to the entire event and one who helped push it over the side. Aviation boatswain mate 3rd class Wendell F Richie here I was on the P-16 fire truck that responded and I was the one who put aff on it so it wouldn't catch on fire. My driver/abh-2 Thomas White got in the Crane/Tilly boomed down waited for the Captains decision and used the boom to push it over the side...no one used their hands to assist pushing it over... Oh and pilots that ejected got hurt when landing on non skid flight deck..."
Additional eyewitness reports:
"Your 15 Feb 91 A-6E ejection with J. Williams as pilot description is not accurate. 'Mac' Williams is my daughter's godfather and he did not crash into the carrier. He lost all brakes taxiing out of the wires and the plane veered to the left. They ejected before it went over the side. Mac broke his leg landing on the carrier deck"
"Here is my recollection of the incident for 2/15/1991. First tour VA-85 crew Lt Mike Wetlaufer and B/N LT (jg) Dave Roller were returning from a bombing mission. The jet suffered a catastrophic engine failure while on the ball short final behind the boat. Mike elected to not push the command eject button, he told me he looked down and saw a full flight deck in the middle of launch and recovery cycle and decided he would try to overfly the boat rather than launch a drop tank, 4 MERs and pylons into the landing area. Just past the boat, they did a three count, Dave grabbed the upper handles as "Spot" was trying to keep the aircraft level and Dave had some nasty scars on the backs of his hands to show that fall around Oceana"
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.html
2. http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/thirdseri
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20171103001143/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk:80/aircraft_by_type/a6_prowler.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-Jul-2009 04:45 | Jakub Cikhart | Updated |
| 20-Aug-2013 09:24 | Uli Elch | Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Country, Phase, Source, Narrative] |
| 27-Jan-2014 07:45 | 505callyourball | Updated [Location, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 15-Jul-2015 08:20 | Anon. | Updated [Source] |
| 18-Mar-2016 16:25 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Source] |
| 05-Apr-2016 16:38 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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