E-2C Hawkeye Crash in Virginia

[Airbubba]

Navy E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning Radar Plane Crashes and Burns In Virginia (Updated)

Thankfully, the four individuals on board were able to safely bailout.

BY JOSEPH TREVITHICK AUGUST 31, 2020

Details are still limited, but a U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft assigned to Airborne Command & Control Squadron 120, or VAW-120, crashed and burned near the town of Nelsonia on Virginia's eastern shore. The pilot and three crew members bailed out safely before the plane hit the ground.

The first reports of the incident began to emerge at around 4:00 PM local time after Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police responded to alerts of a possible plane crash. The E-2 reportedly came down near the intersection of Berry Road and Mason Road, which are also Virginia State Routes 680 and 681 respectively. The aircraft was said to be "fully involved" with a fire after hitting the ground.

Photos by WAVY-TV and Stephen Gardner.





https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...H9D0c5-Ph_1oqg

[TBM-Legend]

Good to see the crew make it out...

[Ascend Charlie]

They must have had plenty of altitude, and be relatively under control, to get out of the back seat, make your way to an exit, jump out (missing the frisbee) and open the chute in time to reduce the ROD.

[Sandy Parts]

"The aircraft was said to be "fully involved" with a fire after hitting the ground." - one for the 'Quote Competition' thread? . Glad all safe.

[sandiego89]

Yikes, glad they sound safe. Believe all egress via the port crew door just aft of the port propeller. Quite a climb for the cockpit crew especially, to go down and aft via a narrow walkway from the cockpit past the electronic racks. The rear crew goes forward past some bulky seats.

[dead_pan]

Oof, that definitely won't buff out. Glad all involved got out.

[Back door]

When's the last time a crew on a non-ejection seat aircraft completed a safe bailout? (other than the obvious wars) Can't be that many....
Not sure what there currency is for ground training on the chutes, but kudo's to the crew !! I have jumped out of aircraft before, but not because it meant life or death...

[ORAC]

E-2C crash captured on video ? Alert 5

E-2C crash captured on video

You Tube

[dead_pan]

Originally Posted by ORAC

E-2C crash captured on video ? Alert 5

E-2C crash captured on video

https://youtu.be/4Q2Ftr6PFaI

Is this video of the actual incident?? This looks unsurvivable

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Originally Posted by dead_pan

Is this video of the actual incident?? This looks unsurvivable

I'd suggest it would be if you were still in the aircraft on impact. However in this case it appears the crew hit the silk. As above, kudos for getting out of a big(ish) aircraft.

[tdracer]

Rather curious what the nature of the failure was that would leave the aircraft controllable/stable enough to permit egress to bail out - but not controllable enough to attempt an emergency landing?

[West Coast]

Originally Posted by tdracer

Rather curious what the nature of the failure was that would leave the aircraft controllable/stable enough to permit egress to bail out - but not controllable enough to attempt an emergency landing?

Does NATOPS direct the crew to attempt what would presumably be an off airport landing or to abandon the ship under what was clearly a dire circumstance?

[ORAC]

Several in the NATOPS, including complete hydraulic system failure or flight control malfunction.

https://www.avialogs.com/reader.php?jid=4234#p=444

[capngrog]

Originally Posted by tdracer

Rather curious what the nature of the failure was that would leave the aircraft controllable/stable enough to permit egress to bail out - but not controllable enough to attempt an emergency landing?

Onboard fire.

Regards,
Grog