VP-94 Mishap
1940's
--- 02 AUG 42 A/C: PBY-5 Location: Unknown Strike: No BUNO: 02944 Cause: Force-landed. Replacement of major parts. Pilot LT R. U. Smith USN & crew/Ok. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [01DEC2002]
--- 02 AUG 42 A/C: PBY-5 Location: Unknown Strike: No BUNO: 02944 Cause: Force-landed. Replacement of major parts. Pilot LT R. U. Smith USN & crew/Ok. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [01DEC2002]
--- 23 AUG 42 A/C: PBY-5 Location: 4mi. north of Dahlgren, Va Strike: Yes BUNO: 7255 Cause: Pilot was cleared from Nas Anacostia for direct contact flight to Nas Norfolk,Va. There were local thunderstorms along the route of which the pilot had been fully warned and he could easily have flown around. Pilot exercised poor judgment and entered thunderstorm in vicinity of Dahlgren. In attempting to get out of storm he further erred in dropping to a dangerously low altitude. While at this low altitude the plane entered the most violent section of the storm. Control of plane was lost and for some unknown reason, the plane crashed into the ground. Crew & pass killed. Pilot Lt. Joseph Liana, Ens. Howard O. Webster, Jr., Ens. Alexander N. Belisle, Sea2c. Robert F.Elliott, Sea2c. Evertt E. J. Peroche, Rm2c. Raymond G. Remillard, Sea2c. John W. Masthay, Sea2c. George R.Drake, Amm2c. John J. Dunn, Lt. F. J. Jardon, and Lt(jg). H. Wortis. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [29JUN2001]
--- 03 JUN 43 A/C: PBY-5 Location: Enroute to convoy coverage: Brazil; 02-26S 43-08W Strike: Yes BUNO: 04405 Cause: The greatest immediate cause for the accident was due to starboard oil cap becoming open in flight, thus releasing oil tank supply. Loss of engine oil supply naturally caused engine failure, the first indication of trouble that the pilot received. Oil supply was checked according to "Tower" engine log at 0430, a period of 29 minutes prior to engine failure-log showed 50 gallons in starboard tank. Quantity was never again checked, but was to be done at 0500, the next log entry interval. Pilot closed his throttle upon report of loss of total oil pressure and attempted to full feather starboard propeller quite unsuccessfully, due to lack of oil. Pilot did not jettison his bombs until about 2 minutes had elapsed. Pilot was flying needle, ball, and airspeed in heavy rain, rough air, darkness and without the use of an artificial horizon, the latter being out of commission as usual, and replacement unavailable. Inspection of oil filler cap showed it to be in a satisfactory mechanical condition, but also with much freedom of movement of safety clip of the oil tank cap latch, spring was not installed. It is not actually known where the C.G. was, but can be estimated to have been slightly forward, due to known location of crew and previous experience with this plane. Plane force landed on sand. Damage:Aircraft and engines total loss due to location. Crew all received minor injuries: Pilot. Lt(jg). Donald M. Faulkner, Lt(jg). Herbert J. Greenberg (co-pilot), Lt(jg). John T. Cline (3rd pilot), Rm3c. Charles W. Miller, Rm1c. Clifton F. Luff, Amm3c. Charles R. Strickland, Amm3c. William E. Kreidlekamp, Amm2c. Patrick R. Kenney, Amm1c. Edward W. Erwin, and Aom3c. Jospeh P. Gallagher. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [20JUL2001]
"...FOUNDATION Volume 23 Number 1 Spring 2002 Page 64 through 65 [23APR2002]
DECLASSIFIED
Rear Admiral Joseph B. Tibbets, USN, (Ret.), a lieutenant commander and commanding officer of VP-94 at the time of the incident pictured, wrote, "On 3 June 1943, this PBY-5A from Patron 94, based at Natal, Brazil, was on a night flight from an overnight base at Sao Luiz to its antisubmarine patrol station along the Brazilian coast to escort a US. convoy en route to Africa.
Commanded by Lieutenant Junior Grade Donald M. Faulknet, senior PPC, they took off pre-dawn and were headed across the jungle shoreline at 900 feet when they lost oil pressure in the starboard engine. The engine cut out and could not be feathered, so the plane lost altitude rapidly. Bombs and fuel were jettisoned. The PPC saw flashes of light and dark below, so, thinking they were wave tops, he ordered an emergency power-stall water landing on what proved to be the long down slope of a huge sand dune three miles inland. When the plane stopped, it still being dark outside, the crew assumed they had landed on the watet; and inflated and threw overboard liferafts before they realized they were not in water. You can imagine the yells and cheers then! Injuries were minor and damage to the plane repairable but impossible because of the isolated location. VP-94 located a fresh water lake nearby and within a few days flew out the crew and all strippable parts of the downed plane, including the good engine.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Faulkners skill in landing his plane probably saved the lives of his crew. Luck played a part, but his training and quick thinking allowed luck to play its part." J.B. Tibbets Collection
--- 03 SEP 43 A/C: PBY-5A Location: Belen, Brazil Strike: No BUNO: 2479 Cause: During the period the plane was landing and taxiing, the engine driven hydraulic pump was inoperative so the reverse fluid was under pressure, supplied by an accumulator with low air pressure, was depleted by the time the pilot had taxied through the parking area and attempted to stop just short of the plane on the check stand. Damage: Repair damaged parts. Crew ok. Pilot Lt(jg) Donald M. Faulkner, AV-N USNR, Lt(jg) Robert C. Cochran (co-pilot), AV-N USNR, Lt(jg) Harry A. Hazzard (3rd pilot), USNR, AMM1c Joseph D. Simmons, USN, AMM2c John C. Sorrell, USN, ARM1c Chris C. Owens, USN, ARM1c Joseph A. Santora, USN, AOM3c Angelo T. Scurrso, USNR, and AOM3c Vincent J. Garegnani, USNR. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [10DEC2002]
--- 28 NOV 43 A/C: PBY-5A Location: Brazil Strike: Yes BUNO: 02472 Cause: Lt.Stritter took-off from Val de Cans Field, Belem Brazil in subject plane at 2210 LCT on 28 Nov 1943, The purpose of the flight was night convoy coverage of a convoy. At about 2220 a communication check was made with the plane, this was the last contact made with the plane. The plane failed to return at its ETA of 0900 LCT. A search was conducted in the area for the following six days until 3 Dec. Items were discovered scattered along beach on the Para River, 55miles north of Belem, Brazil. The recovered gear included the following items; starboard wing tip float, pilot seat cushion, part of an inflatable life jacket, sections of navigation table, a K-20 camera, chronometer case, RDF cushion, aerial float light, pitot tune cover, radio tubes, life raft paddle and other small buoyant articles. The above gear was found to be in a general state of sever damage. Lt.Stritter was an experienced and capable pilot with an excellent flight record. Subject plane had 59.5hrs flight time since overhaul by, ABATU at Nas Norfolk. A check of the plane's operations since overhaul reveals nothing but the usual minor discrepancies. The weather was reported good by the plane covering the same convoy earlier that evening and also as reported by a plane approximately 200miles from the convoy later that night. For the lack of cause this accident cannot be determined. It is the opinion of The Board, however, that the probable causes may be by enemy action, material failure, personnel error, or weather-in the order listed. From appearance of the recovered wing tip float it appears fairly certain that the float was not in the up position at the time of impact. The float locking pin socket showed no signs of mutilation as no doubt would have been the case if the float were in the up position. This would lead to the conclusion then that the pilot was attempting a force-landing. >From other appearances of the float it seems that the plane entered the water with the right wing low as in a glide to the right. It is the opinion of The Board that the cockpit and navigators compartment were demolished on impact. This may be assumed from the fact that virtually all the items recovered were from theses compartments. The recovered items, with exception of the life jacket, were identified as being a plane attached to this unit by the markings, FAW-16 on the camera case, "ABATU" on the seat cushions, and that the camouflage paint on the wing tip float. The life jacket, has not been identified. OP16V has plane listed as show down by enemy submarine AAA. Crew killed: Pilot: Lt. Theodore Smith Stritter USNR, Lt. K. P. Rauer (co-pilot), Lt(jg). J. D. Engles (co-pilot), Amm2c. E. J. Webb USN, Amm3c. W. A. Sexton USN, Amm3c. L. D. Johnson USN, Rm3c. C. R. Strickland USN, Rm3c. D. Stavros USN, Rm3c. W. F. Maher SNR, and Aom3c. H. F. Cunniff USNR. Contributed by Terry pb4y-2@sbcglobal.net [02AUG2001]
--- 00 XXX 73 A/C: P2V Location: NS Rota, Spain Strike: No Cause: 2P pulled up the Landing Gear Handle during the takeoff roll. Contributed by Robert S. Edgerton (Snake) rsedge2@multipro.com [29OCT2000]
"...I was looking thru the site and saw the mishap of a VP-94 P2 but no information was given. I had heard about the accident which happened before I came, I think it was the deployment before the one I went on. Then in the crew secton I found the listing below. There, you have your answer to the missing information explaining the photo sent in by Robert S. Edgerton..." Contributed by ADR2 Eugene LANZL gene.lanzl@gmail.com [10AUG2014]
SIMMONS, AFCM(AW) Carl Jr. navycarl@comcast.net "...I affiliated with VP-94 NAS New Orleans, Louisiana as an In-flight Plane Captain. In 1972 to 1973 we decommissioned the last P2V-7's and commissioned the first P-3A's. With VP-94 I made three NS Rota, Spain deployments and was unfortunate enough to be involved in the last accident on the P2V. I was on the jumpseat during take off on a detachment to NS Rota, Spain when the 2P pulled up the Landing Gear Handle during the takeoff roll. We ended up nose landing on the runway. Fortunately we all walked away unharmed except for a minor arm injury..."
"...No 12 VP-94 NAS New Orleans, Louisiana. CDR Danny Dugal was the CO and Pilot. He pass away a few years ago. No 12 was fixed and I made the test hop. It was later sent to paint and rework and later to Washington for display and then put on display at NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii..." Contributed by Robert S. Edgerton (Snake) rsedge2@multipro.com [23OCT2003]
"VP-94 Summary Page"
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