PRIVACY ACT MATERIAL REEMOYED

III

he called the Eniwetok tower to report his engine had just flamed out

and that he was at 13,000 feet altitude.

When he was at 10,000 feet,

Eniwetok tower thought he would make the runway,
in sight.

He had the island

was given another steer to the runway.

When he

was at 5,000 feet altitude, he reported he could not make the runway
and planned to bail out at 3,000 feet.

He radiced:

"I have the

helicopter in sight and” am bailing out,"
The Air-Sea Rescue helicopter pilot spotted the PB between 500 and

800 feet altitude just north of the atoll.

The aircraft was in a level

glide at about 150 mots speed, The helicopter pulled in behindthe,
jet and followed it toward the island,the ‘pilot observing the tiptank
release and what appeared to be the canopy.

The aircraft continued in

the glide, apparently under control, and struck the water slightlytail
down, with the right wing a bit low.

Neither the diye brakes », flaps 9,00

the wheels were dom, The F-8) skimmed over the,water from 100,to 300.
yards before hitting again,

But on second contact, the nose dug in and

the aircraft flipped onto its back.

Approximately-one minute later the

helicopter was over the spot. The aft section of the F-8l was still visible,
but sinking rapidly,

for aid,

The helicopter slowly circled the area, while calling

Other units arrived and a thorough search of the area followed,

An oil slick, one glove, and several maps appeared but

was never found,

‘he sampler aircraft had struck the water about three

and one-half miles from the end of the runway on Eniwetok,
The flying safety report on the accident concluded that

had span out while sampling the cloud because he overtaxed

7h
APEHO

SWEH-2-003h

Qs

oni

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