Vincennes Posted December 22, 2018 Share #1 Posted December 22, 2018 Here is an interesting photo I got at the flea market today. The information printed on the reverse is attached below the photo. If you plot the latitude and longitude listed as the crash site on the back of the photo it plots in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, so there is obviously a problem since the photo shows the crash on land. I have no information yet on the crash. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulruss Posted December 23, 2018 Share #2 Posted December 23, 2018 Location could be where the pilot ejected/was picked up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted December 23, 2018 Share #3 Posted December 23, 2018 Looks like the landing gear was extended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincennes Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted December 31, 2018 UPDATE: I have been in touch with the VA-12 Association (http://www.va12.com/) and they have provided some additional information. Tracking the Navy Bureau Number they know the aircraft was transferred to VA-86 in 1975 and destroyed in a crash on Jan. 17, 1978 while aboard the CVN-68 Nimitz in the Mediterranean when the pilot (Lt. Cdr. Kent Ewing) ejected. But they have been unable to find anything on this 1973 crash or why the Lat. and Long. location of the crash on the reverse of the photo plots in the Atlantic Ocean. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted December 31, 2018 Share #5 Posted December 31, 2018 The entry on Baugher's site: 157584 (MSN E307, VA-86) w/o Jan 17, 1978. They didn't know who was flying it when it crashed in 73? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincennes Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted December 31, 2018 AustinO, Several sites state the w/o in 1978, but http://archive.is/UPmWa shows the plane in VA86 in the Med aboard USS Nimitz and that LCdr Kent Ewing ejected from it on 17 January 1978.. We know who was the pilot in the 1973 photo because it is listed on the back of the photo (LCDR Spear). Since the plane continued to fly until 1978 it was obviously reconditioned after the 1973 crash and put back in service. Perhaps it only ran off the end of the runway upon landing in 1973? But that still does not explain the crash location problem. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted December 31, 2018 Share #7 Posted December 31, 2018 I wonder if the lat long is where the flight originated? Carrier based local OPs and flight had to bingo to the beach and overshot the runway, or landed short of the runway. I also noticed he has a aerial inflight refueling store (BuddyStore) on his port outboard pylon, the hose is still deployed. Maybe the pilot was unable to retract or guillotine the hose and he was directed to bingo to the beach. Just thinking out loud. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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