Keywords: A-7E VA-72 barricade crash on USS Kennedy (CV-67) 1991.JPEG U S Navy flight deck personnel work to secure an LTV A-7E Corsair II BuNo 159999 from Attack Squadron VA-72 Blue Hawks after an emergency barricade landing on the aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy CV-67 The aircraft was launching from the John F Kennedy on a strike mission When the aircraft was launched from the catapult CAT 1 an incorrect weight estimation to the catapult crew caused the aircraft to outrun the shuttle The shuttle caught up with the aircraft before it departed the deck and impacted the left nose wheel assembly causing it to break The pilot as well as several deck crew noticed the problem with the left nose wheel feel to the waters below after lift off Several low level low speed passes with the gear down the pilot never raised it following the incident it was recommended that the pilot divert to land That was re-thought and those in command decided it would be more of a controlled crash if they rigged the barricade to trap the damaged bird The barricade was rigged and the aircraft lined up landing perfectly The nose gear strut dug an inch thick groove in the deck removing the non-skid layer applied to the steel During the trapping the nose gear strut folded under the aircraft and the underside of the intake impacted the deck Crash crews were immediately dispatched as well as flight deck personnel manning fire hoses There was still a 2000 lb GPB live bomb still attached to the inboard left wing station of the aircraft when it landed The aircraft was later robbed of all usable parts and decorated with Graffiti After seeing the condition of the jet the skipper of VA-72 thought it was not the proper way to dispose of such an aircraft that served the United States in a distinguished manor and ordered the entire aircraft or remaining skeleton be freshly painted The aircraft was jettisoned overboard from Elevator 3 with a large majority of the crew on deck to watch the event shortly thereafter VA-72 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 3 CVW-3 aboard the JFK for a deployment from 15 August 1990 to 28 March 1991 http //www defenseimagery mil U S DefenseImagery photo VIRIN http //www dodmedia osd mil/DVIC_View/Still_Details cfm SDAN DNSC9209477 JPGPath /Assets/1986/Navy/DN-SC-92-09477 JPG DN-SC-92-09477 1991-01-25 PH2 Moore USN PD-USGov-Military-Navy A-7E Corsair II Attack Squadron 72 United States Navy Barricades aircraft carrier USS John F Kennedy CV-67 flight deck United States Navy in the Gulf War 1990-1991 |