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| Date: | Wednesday 30 August 1967 |
| Time: | 16:30 |
| Type: |  North American RA-5C Vigilante |
| Owner/operator: | US Navy |
| Registration: | 149295 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Port Columbus International Airport, Ohio -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | NRJ |
| CMH |
Loss of control during single engine landing, went nose high. Touched down and porpoised. Successful ejections.
Ferry flight from NAS Sanford, Florida to Port Columbus Airport, Ohio (NAA plant) for a maintenance check. Descending to land from 33,000’ to 23,000’ about 175 miles from their destination the port engine fire warning light illuminated. Port engine was shut down and crew set up for a straight-in approach to Rnwy 28L while dumping fuel. The aircraft was configured with 30 degrees flap and 25 degrees droop but when in close it took a “high dip” and developed a high sink rate, very nose high. A main MLG tire blew on first contact. The aircraft porpoised and bounced. Afterburner was selected on the starboard engine probably for a go-around. The right wing struck the ground and the pilot ordered ejection. Both crew safely ejected at the top of the second bounce. All of the landing gear sheared off and the Vigilante skidded to a stop in the grass after turning 360 degrees --- 1,050’ from the point of impact. There was only a small fire which was quickly extinguished as crash equipment had already been prepositioned. Later analysis determined that the fire warning was caused by a faulty detection system amplifier and there had been no engine fire.
Wind had been called out by the tower as 8 knots at 230 degrees but was actually 14 knots at 200 degrees.
The US Navy accident report includes stills from an 8mm movie camera showing the entire crash and ejection sequence.
Commander was Donald B. Brady pilot who suffered a fractured leg. The RAN was Lt. Donald L. Nesbitt who had back injuries. They were with RVAH-6.
Aircraft sustained Class Charlie damage. Landing gear and doors torn off. Reconnaissance canoe was completely destroyed. Lower frame sections, skin panels, and access doors were bent and broken the entire length of the fuselage. Leading edges of both horizontal stabilizers were damaged. All flap sections of the port wing were destroyed.
It was repaired and reentered service. Put into AMARC storage in September of 1971. SOC May of 1978. Later moved to Tolicha Peak Range as an airfield target in 1986.
Sources:
US Navy accident report
Images:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-May-2024 12:07 | ChrisB | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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