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| Date: | Thursday 19 June 1969 |
| Time: | 13:20 |
| Type: |  North American RA-5C Vigilante |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy |
| Registration: | 149287 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Near Leslie, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Little or no information is available |
Crashed near NAS Albany, GA after pilot tried a risky loop maneuver and lost control.
During work-ups for an RVAH-7 war cruise out of NAS Albany, Georgia the aircraft experienced a stall and post stall gyrations at the top of a loop, inverted, and in full afterburner at 27,000’. This was a maintenance test hop (maintenance acceptance test). Burning off fuel following part of the planned tests the pilot decided to perform aerobatics. Starting at 13,000’ several wing overs were performed. Then accelerating from 10,000’ the pilot intended to do a barrel roll but changed it to a loop. At the top and at 170 knots the airframe started vibrating. It then yawed rapidly to the right and then reversed. It went from inverted to upright. The yawing oscillations continued. The pilot attempted 4 stall recoveries still at full afterburner or military power. The pilot then ejected both crew safely at 9,000’ AGL. The crew in their parachutes observed the Vigilante impact in an isolated grove of small saplings and underbrush near Leslie, GA (or about 23 miles north of NAS Albany). They were able to telephone base and a helo was sent to pick them up. Duration of flight was 47 minutes.
The aircraft was accepted from NARF Jacksonville two weeks prior following PAR maintenance. This was its first post-maintenance check flight. This was to be its third service tour (this time with RVAH-7 on USS Constellation).
Crew was pilot Commander W.M. Barnes (XO of RVAH-7) and RAN Lt(jg) Hornick.
Sources:
http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/A-5.html
US Navy accident report
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 29-May-2024 11:29 | ChrisB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Source, Narrative, Photo] |
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