ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 60391
Last updated: 24 May 2013
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| Date: | 28-FEB-1977 |
| Time: | |
| Type: |  McDonnell Douglas F-15A Eagle |
| Operator: | 433 FWS, 57 FWW, USAF |
| Registration: | 74-0129 |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 46 nm W of Nellis AFB, Nevada -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Nellis AFB, Nevada |
Mid-air collision with a Northrop F‑5E (which landed safely) on the Nellis ranges in Nevada, 46 NM of Nellis AFB: pilot ejected safely. Per eyewitness report:
"I was on the line the day 74-0129 had the midair collision with the F-5. Major Merrick was the pilot of the F-15, I believe his first name was Russell. His first flight back in the air after the incident was in my aircraft, 74-0111. During our walk around inspection I told Maj. it was good to see him back. He told me he had punched out of an F-4 when he was in Viet Nam. He then paused and looked at me and said the Air Force grounds a pilot after a 3rd ejection.
"I wont ever punch out again, if there is a next time, I will play like the Navy and go down with the ship". The F-5 had video footage of the collision. The F-5 and F-15 were flying an ACEVAL/AIMVAL training mission 1 v 1. At some point during the "dog fight" they turned into each other and one of the dummy missile attached to the wing missle rail struck the F-15 just aft of the air refueling door.
The F-5 flew through the F-15s twin tails with its wings perpendicular to the F-15s wings. Major Merrick declared an IFE and intended to return to Nellis. He told me that he could see flames coming up the backbone of the aircraft and decided it was time to leave and ejected."
Sources:
http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Aircraft_by_Type/f-15.htm
http://www.f-15.nl/wo.html
Related books
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 01-Apr-2012 09:38 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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