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| Date: | Thursday 6 October 1966 |
| Time: | 11:40 |
| Type: |  Douglas A3D-2 Skywarrior |
| Owner/operator: | United States Navy (USN) |
| Registration: | 147650 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Pacific Ocean, 40 miles SW of San Clemente Island -
 Pacific Ocean
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | USS Enterprise |
| USS Enterprise | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Crashed off the coast of California after a collision with RA-5C 149288. 3 crewmen were killed.
At around 11 o’clock at night A-3B Skywarrior #147650 lost their radio.
RA-5C Vigilante #149288 was trying to guide the Skywarrior back to the USS Enterprise when they collided mid-air.
During routine training mission a mid-air occurred about 1140 between RA-5C 149288 and A-3B 147650. Right after midnight Oct 7 – the search started for the two missing aircraft. Time 0049 the RA-5C crew picked up by helo (in their raft according to newspaper). The search continued for the downed/mid-air A3B through the night. Time 0549 launched helo to investigate cries of help on starboard side, results negative. Time 1107 Enterprise secured from General Quarters, SAR assistance from carrier ended. Search continued with Navy and Coast Guard assets. Debris from both aircraft found but A-3B crew lost at sea. The search abandoned on 8 October.
Deck log states it was a KA-3B.
Vigilante RVAH-5 crew was:
Lt John K. Sutor pilot
Lt(jg) Peter C. Carrothers RAN
Skywarrior VAH-2 crew was:
Lt Deighton A. Hunt
Ensign Lonnie C. Gibson
Aviation Ordnanceman Melvin F. Colby
Lt. Sutor had been shot down in RA-5C 151633 on 15 December 1965 by small arms fire over South Vietnam but was able to safely eject over Gulf of Tonkin and was rescued.
Sources:
http://forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/A3D.html
USS Enterprise deck log
Fort Worth Star Telegram Oct 8 1966
The Los Angeles Times Oct 8 1966
Location
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-May-2021 11:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 03-Jul-2024 12:38 | ChrisB | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Photo] |
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