ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 57231
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| Date: | Monday 1 April 1985 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  Grumman A-6E Intruder |
| Owner/operator: | United States Navy (USN) |
| Registration: | 161673 |
| MSN: | I-650 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Veraguas National Park near Santa Fe, Panama -
 Panama
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Nimitz (CVN-68) off East coast of Central America |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
A-6E Intruder BuNo. 161673/AJ-503 of VA-35, US Navy. Crashed on a remote jungle mountainside during a night low level training mission on Apr 1, 1985 North West of Santiago, Panama while operating from USS Nimitz (CVN-68). LCDR Derrick Holmquist (Pilot) and LT Glen Ziegler (B/N) lost. Search and Rescue efforts were not successful in identifying a crash location.
In May of 2019, two expat researchers in Panama hired a local villager to photograph aircraft parts he had seen while hunting. The photographs correlated the wreckage to the missing A6. That same month, the Secretary of Defense tasked the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency with researching, investigating, and recovering the two missing crew members. AFMES was tasked with identification.
In June of 2019, and expedition was led to attempt to reach the site. Safety considerations halted that effort.
In February and March of 2020, DPAA created a helicopter landing zone on the steep mountainside and began work to survey the site. Dangerous weather conditions and the global pandemic halted operations. In April of 2021, DPAA restarted contracting efforts and close coordination with government of Panama to conduct archaeological work on the site.
Sources:
1. http://web.archive.org/web/20180422222159/http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/A-6.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. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/n/nimitz.html
5. https://www.critica.com.pa/nacional/eeuu-buscara-militares-fallecidos-en-veraguas-hace-casi-35-anos-573133
https://www.flickr.com/photos/147861202@N07/43729881944/
https://panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com/blog/news-from-panama/recovery-us-navy-6-raygun-503-begun/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Jan-2009 11:55 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-Apr-2016 18:27 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Cn, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 03-Apr-2016 18:32 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 12-Oct-2017 17:31 | TB | Updated [Operator, Location, Narrative] |
| 13-Mar-2021 19:36 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 07-Apr-2021 12:30 | Anon. | Updated [Source] |
| 29-Apr-2021 08:27 | Anon. | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
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