US jet crashes off Queensland (USS Ronald Reagan)

Australian Broadcasting Corporation ^ | 30 January 2006

[Aussie Dasher]

United States officials have confirmed an FA-18 Hornet strike fighter plane has ditched into the sea while attempting a night landing near Brisbane.

The aircraft was attempting to land on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan during a training exercise early yesterday morning about 200 kilometres south-east of Brisbane.

Lieutenant Commander Gary Ross says the pilot ejected safely but the $37 million aircraft was lost. The pilot was rescued from the sea.

Lieutenant Commander Ross says five other jets were forced to fly in to Brisbane because they were short on fuel.

"There were five aircraft that were sent into Brisbane International Airport. The reason why they went into Brisbane was because of their fuel state," he said.

The USS Ronald Reagan is the world's largest aircraft carrier. It left Brisbane on Friday after a five-day visit.

"It should be noted that there was no damage or impact in the operational capability of the USS Ronald Reagan during the incident," Lieutenant Commander Ross said.

The US Navy is investigating the accident.

Meanwhile, the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) wants the Navy to explain why it might not salvage the jet.

ACF spokesman Chris Smyth says there need to be good reasons why the wreck may be left where it is.

"What we would need to find out is more details about the depth of water and the sorts of logistics that would be required to get the plane out of there and how much fuel is on board," he said.

"We just don't know any of those things. We would hope the US Navy would give us very good information about that, as to why or why they can't get the plane back up to the surface and taken away."

[miele man]

"Lieutenant Commander Ross says five other jets were forced to fly in to Brisbane because they were short on fuel."

Is this standard operating procedure after an aircraft mishap or were weather conditions a factor (hard to accept if so) or was this an inexperienced group of newbie pilots? Are there any old Navy salts who can suggest why these pilots could not land on the carrier? After all, aren't they training for combat conditions?

[miele man]

Great pix!!!!

[lentulusgracchus]

It's part of carrier aviation. You do lose planes fairly regularly, and you can't expect a carrier not to have losses.

I was told it was also true in the patrol squadrons. A VP pilot told me about several AOCS and flying-school classmates who were already dead by the time he got to sonar school. And that was 35 years ago -- carrier air was no less risky then.

"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots."

You've got to be pretty bold to want to land a supersonic aircraft on an aircraft carrier.

[Aussie Dasher]

Or did they just want another night in Brisbane? :)

[Nasty McPhilthy]

http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/media/gallery/art/approach/categories/Caruso.htm

[FReepaholic]

...Love it! Where can I get a print? ...

I like it too. I did a search for the artist and found his website HERE

Haven't located this particular print yet but there are a bunch of others that are fantastic!

[lentulusgracchus]

Great caricature! Where'd you find it?

[lentulusgracchus]

Ha! You beat me by eight seconds!

[FReepaholic]

Only place I found it is on a 2002 calendar on THIS PAGE on the artist's website.

You can still get it for 7 bucks.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Could have been a fouled deck. Bingo fuel at night while searching for a downed plane/aviator; lack of airborne tanker to refuel the other five;, could have been a number/combination of factors for the other birds to divert.

[A.A. Cunningham]

The greenies must be going nuts.

Trash inquiry to quiz US Navy 30.01.2006 {br} QUEENSLAND authorities will ask US Navy officials for an explanation over the bags of rubbish from the visiting aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan which were found in Moreton Bay. US military authorities launched an investigation after the dumped bags from the massive nuclear-powered warship were found in the sea near Moreton Island by a Sunshine Coast trawler fisherman last Thursday. The Sunshine Coast Daily first broke the news on Saturday that one hessian bag filled with fast-food wrappers, soft-drink bottles and plastic cutlery was reeled in by Mooloolaba's Aaron Pringle as he trawled for prawns. He said five similar bags were floating nearby. Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said police would help Queensland environmental authorities investigate the find. "We would be happy to talk to our colleagues in that department in terms of liaising with the American authorities to try and ensure there was no repetition of anything like this," he said. Ship spokesman Lt-Commander Gary Ross, who told the Daily it "appeared" the bag found by Mr Pringle had come from his ship, has since been quoted in other media as saying there had been a "mix-up" because bags of glass and scrap metal were legally dumped overboard with forms similar to one in the bag found by Mr Pringle. "Whoever fills the bag has to sign off. We'd like to find out who's responsible," he was reported as saying. He asked for the garbage to be returned so the investigation could begin but Mr Pringle has since disposed of it. While a local woman reported seeing a similar bag on Coolum Beach late Saturday night, it could not be located yesterday morning. Back to top

Contact Us | Legal Info | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

© APN News & Media Ltd 2005.
Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited under the laws of Australia and by international treaty.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Yes

[Aussie Dasher]

"The greenies must be going nuts."

The greenies ARE bloody nuts!!!!

[Nasty McPhilthy]

Let me ask you this, have you see the Sexy Eastern block Chick flying the SU-31?

http://guyrevel.free.fr/WGP/Haute-Voltige_au_Japon.wmv

[RedStateRocker]

I'm glad the pilot is OK. God bless the heroes that do this day in and day out keeping our behinds safe.

I would give anything to be in a plane doing a carrier landing (tried to join the Army and Air force but rejected for hearing several times each).

Ouch, $37 million taxpayer dollars.


Oh,well, the MOST expensive thing in the world would be having the SECOND best military.

[CarrotAndStick]

That's an amazing video! Thanks!

[La Enchiladita]

The pilot ejected safely. Answered my first question.

[Zuriel]

**Duh. Possibly the recovery would cost more than the jet.**

And a damaged one at that. Maybe heavily damaged.
Even if pulling it out of the water was done free of charge, it most likely would have to be taken completely apart and completely rebuilt, numerous parts replaced. That salt water is in places it could never get before, even compared to riding on deck through a thousand storms of salt water spray.

[MediaMole]

The drawing is from Caruso's 2002 calendar.

[Squint]

Isn't this the carrier with only 3 arresting wires?

Yes, I believe it is. One less wire = 25% less maintenance and 25% fewer parts to break.