Date & Time:
Aug 3, 1970
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-3 Orion
Operator:
Registration:
152159
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Desert
Schedule:
Nellis – North Island – Barbers Point
MSN:
185-5129
YOM:
1965
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
10
Crew fatalities:
10
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
10
Circumstances:
The crew departed Nellis AFB in Las Vegas on a flight to Barbers Point NAS, Hawaii, with an intermediate stop at North Island-Halsey Field NAS in San Diego. Few minutes after takeoff, the airplane went through a thunderstorm area and encountered heavy turbulences. The pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive, partially disintegrated in the air and eventually crashed in a desert area located 10 miles northwest of Searchlight, Nevada. The airplane was totally destroyed and debris scattered on more that half a mile. All ten crew members were killed.
Crew (VP-17):
Lt Timothy D. Bailing,
Lt Norman L. Johnson,
Ltjg Henry J. McGreevey,
Adj1 Ambrose Ordonia,
Adj1 Johnny D. Shelton,
Atn3 Cletus L. Morrison,
Aw3 John D. Maas,
Aw3 John W. Schmitz,
Aw3 Michael A. Silvers,
Aw3 Bruce E. Weaver.
Crew (VP-17):
Lt Timothy D. Bailing,
Lt Norman L. Johnson,
Ltjg Henry J. McGreevey,
Adj1 Ambrose Ordonia,
Adj1 Johnny D. Shelton,
Atn3 Cletus L. Morrison,
Aw3 John D. Maas,
Aw3 John W. Schmitz,
Aw3 Michael A. Silvers,
Aw3 Bruce E. Weaver.
Probable cause:
The Navy concluded that the aircraft was struck by lightning, but Lockheed determined that the breakup of the aircraft in flight was caused by structural overloading of the right wing from a positive high angle of attack condition. Lockheed concluded that it was the uncontrollable flight and the resultant stresses that caused the aircraft to disintegrate in flight.
