Navy identifies crew killed in jet crash
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SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - The U.S. Navy on Tuesday finished notifying the families of three crew members who died when their plane from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island crashed in Eastern Washington.
Killed were 34-year-old Lt. Cmdr. Alan Patterson from Tullahoma, Tenn.; 26-year-old Lt. Junior Grade Valerie Delaney from Ellicott City, Md., and 24-year-old Lt. Junior Grade William Brown McIlvaine III of El Paso, Texas.
The twin-engine E/A-6B Prowler crashed Monday morning in a farm field about 50 miles west of Spokane. Photos of the crater show the plane apparently disintegrated on impact, killing everyone aboard.
The Navy said the plane was engaged in low-level training exercises when the crash occurred. The cause is under investigation.
"Quite often these investigations take several weeks before we get an answer," said Stephens, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces in San Diego.
The remains of the three fliers were to be removed Tuesday by a forensics team from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, officials said.
Planes from Whidbey Island are a common sight across much of Eastern Washington farm country.
Nancy Timm told The Spokesman-Review newspaper she was in her garage Monday morning when she heard what she thought was a plane flying low overhead. Soon thereafter, she heard a boom, then went out and saw smoke rising from the crash site in Lincoln County about 10 miles from the town of Harrington.
Karen Carlson, who also lives near the crash site, told the newspaper she was talking on the phone when she heard what she thought was a sonic boom.
"Then the whole house just shook," she said of the jet's impact.
Whidbey Island is the home of the Navy's tactical electronic squadrons that fly the Prowler and similar aircraft.
The Prowler that crashed was assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129, known as the Vikings. It is the Navy squadron charged with training all Navy and Marine Corps aviators assigned to fly Prowlers.
The E/A-6B has served as the primary electronics warfare aircraft for the Navy since its introduction in 1970. Its primary mission is to provide "protection for strike aircraft, ground troops and ships by jamming enemy radar, electronic data links and communications," according to the Navy.
While no Prowlers have ever been lost in combat operations, several have been lost in peacetime accidents.
A memorial was dedicated at NAS Whidbey Island in 1998 to 44 aircrew lost in EA-6B Prowler accidents. The last two mishaps involving loss of life in Prowlers happened that same year.
In February 1998, a Marine Prowler clipped the cable of a gondola in Italy, killing 20 civilians when the gondola plunged to the ground. That plane was able to return to base. In November 1998, a Prowler collided with another plane during night landing operations aboard the USS Enterprise off the coast of Virginia. All four crewmen aboard the Prowler died.
Killed were 34-year-old Lt. Cmdr. Alan Patterson from Tullahoma, Tenn.; 26-year-old Lt. Junior Grade Valerie Delaney from Ellicott City, Md., and 24-year-old Lt. Junior Grade William Brown McIlvaine III of El Paso, Texas.
The twin-engine E/A-6B Prowler crashed Monday morning in a farm field about 50 miles west of Spokane. Photos of the crater show the plane apparently disintegrated on impact, killing everyone aboard.
The Navy said the plane was engaged in low-level training exercises when the crash occurred. The cause is under investigation.
"Quite often these investigations take several weeks before we get an answer," said Stephens, a spokesman for Naval Air Forces in San Diego.
The remains of the three fliers were to be removed Tuesday by a forensics team from Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, officials said.
Planes from Whidbey Island are a common sight across much of Eastern Washington farm country.
Nancy Timm told The Spokesman-Review newspaper she was in her garage Monday morning when she heard what she thought was a plane flying low overhead. Soon thereafter, she heard a boom, then went out and saw smoke rising from the crash site in Lincoln County about 10 miles from the town of Harrington.
Karen Carlson, who also lives near the crash site, told the newspaper she was talking on the phone when she heard what she thought was a sonic boom.
"Then the whole house just shook," she said of the jet's impact.
Whidbey Island is the home of the Navy's tactical electronic squadrons that fly the Prowler and similar aircraft.
The Prowler that crashed was assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 129, known as the Vikings. It is the Navy squadron charged with training all Navy and Marine Corps aviators assigned to fly Prowlers.
The E/A-6B has served as the primary electronics warfare aircraft for the Navy since its introduction in 1970. Its primary mission is to provide "protection for strike aircraft, ground troops and ships by jamming enemy radar, electronic data links and communications," according to the Navy.
While no Prowlers have ever been lost in combat operations, several have been lost in peacetime accidents.
A memorial was dedicated at NAS Whidbey Island in 1998 to 44 aircrew lost in EA-6B Prowler accidents. The last two mishaps involving loss of life in Prowlers happened that same year.
In February 1998, a Marine Prowler clipped the cable of a gondola in Italy, killing 20 civilians when the gondola plunged to the ground. That plane was able to return to base. In November 1998, a Prowler collided with another plane during night landing operations aboard the USS Enterprise off the coast of Virginia. All four crewmen aboard the Prowler died.
Karen Carlson 42, a drunken dog hoarder that still lives with her mother. Maybe KOMO should check the credibility of the sources it uses. Maybe the Navy will learn that flying low over water fowl lake can result in bird strikes and failed jet engines.
kbbcoop you are a heartless imbecile. I knew this lady personally, she was a well trained fighter pilot very capable of handling a properly operating jet aircraft. When you soar with the eagles, sometimes crap happens. Â
A reminder that Freedom isn't free. RIP
Wow - all so young. Â Makes it even more sad. Â
My heart goes out to the crew members, their family, friends and comrades.
Terrible news. My condolences to family, friends, and shipmates. God Bless your souls.
My heart is breaking for the family and friends of these young adults. Thank you so much for your service. RIP.
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oldster70:
At several hundred miles per hour, it will. Look at a Nascar at a mere 150-200mph. If not convinced there are a bunch of videos online, of aircrafts on rocket sleds sent into concrete walls at various speeds. Remember aircrafts are not build to withstand flying into things. They are light, aluminium etc. that will simply shatter on impact.
This aircraft was flying low as part of training. It is dangerous, and the crew has little time if there is a problem.
My condolences to the families.
R.I.P. Thank-you all for your service.To all the family members,you will be in our thoughts and prayers.
I really feel for the families of the victims.At the same time I am puzzled how this plane impacted with such direct force as to completely disintegrate.I will be looking for more to this story.
Â@oldster70Precision military aircraft are actually quite fragile.Â
@oldster70Â
so, you think this is some sort of conspiracy?
At roughly 250 - 300 mph,... that is quite an impact...
It makes me sad at the loss of life, and the loss of the aircraft. This will affect the entire squadron..
My condolances go out to everyone..