Posted on 09/11/2003 4:34:04 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife
The crew of a Navy spy plane that landed on China's Hainan Island in April 2001 after colliding with a Chinese fighter jet did not destroy all classified materials aboard, and it is "highly probable" that some fell into Chinese hands, Navy investigators concluded.
The report, which was released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by Jane's Defense Weekly, blamed the Chinese fighter pilot for the collision and did not fault the Navy crew for failing to complete the destruction of classified information aboard the EP-3.
Specifics about the classified materials were deleted from the released version of the report, and the report did not address the possible impact of any compromise of official secrets.
"The destruction of classified material was accomplished while the aircrew was probably still in shock from the aircraft collision and the subsequent rapid descent of the aircraft and with very little time prior to landing," the report said.
It also found that "destruction of all classified materials onboard did not occur," and concluded that "compromise by the People's Republic of China of undestroyed classified material on PR-32 is highly probable and cannot be ruled out." PR-32 was the mission designation of the U.S. plane.
Materials classified as confidential, secret and top secret were, as a matter of normal practice, carried aboard the plane in papers, magnetic tapes, computer disks and computer hard drives, the report said.
The incident on April 1, 2001, caused a deep rift in U.S.-Chinese relations, made worse by China's decision to detain the 24 American crew members for 11 days and not permit the United States to fly the damaged EP-3 off Hainan Island. Instead it was removed in pieces and reassembled in the United States.
The Bush administration severed military-to-military relations with China, although limited ties have since been renewed.
The EP-3 crew belonged to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. The investigation report said they were fully qualified and ready for the mission. The EP-3 is designed to conduct reconnaissance and collect electronic signals intelligence.
The Chinese F-8 fighter had intercepted the Navy plane and was maneuvering dangerously close to it as they flew over the South China Sea in international airspace. On a third close approach, the Chinese pilot lost control and slammed into the Navy plane, according to the report.
The Chinese plane was ripped in half. The pilot was never found and is presumed to have perished.
After the fighter struck the Navy plane's No. 1 propeller, causing the U.S. plane to shake violently and snap-roll to the left at about a 140-degree angle of bank, the aircraft commander gave the order for the crew to prepare to bail out. The plane was descending at a rate of 4,000 feet per minute until it reached an altitude of about 15,000, where it leveled off.
Procedures do not require that destruction of classified material begin in that situation. After the No. 1 engine was shut down and the plane became more controllable, the crew was directed to "prepare to ditch," meaning they would stay with the plane as it went down.
Although not required at that point, the crew began to destroy classified material, the report said. Some was jettisoned out a hatch, and equipment was smashed with an ax and other hard objects such as metal containers. Upon landing at a military air base on Hainan Island some remaining classified papers were shredded.
The Chinese military ordered the Americans off the plane and took control of it. The investigation report said the crew had hidden some classified materials on the plane and hand-shredded some papers.
"Therefore, compromise of undestroyed classified material is highly probable," it concluded.
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Associated Press writer John J. Lumpkin in Washington contributed to this report.
Although not required at that point, the crew began to destroy classified material, the report said. Some was jettisoned out a hatch, and equipment was smashed with an ax and other hard objects such as metal containers. Upon landing at a military air base on Hainan Island some remaining classified papers were shredded.
I think the crew did extremely well under the circumstances, and I have never heard anything to the contrary.
I have, mostly from the Hee-Haw Constimatooshunalist folks who think Lieutenant Osborne should've deliberately flown the plane into the drink while leading the crew in a cheer for Dr. Ron Paul.
Funny thing about most of these folks; they never served.
BTW, the stuff that was destroyed or jettisoned was most likely very perishable stuff that lost its value in hours or days.
Note correction applied.
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