Grumman A-6E Intruder #149941, crashed September 30, 1983 south of Kingman, Arizona

Summary:  This Intruder was assigned to VA-34 (Attack Squadron 34), the Blue Blasters, and had just completed a cruise on the aircraft carrier USS America in May. The plane and crew were with the Atlantic Fleet and stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, but were traveling cross country on a low-level navigation training flight. The pilot, Lt. David McCullough and Navigator, Lt. Nickolus Harman had just departed Yuma MCAS at 4:30 pm and headed north when they impacted Black Mesa just outside of Oatman, Arizona. Not too much is known as the Navy report is heavily redacted. However, what is known is that during a heavy rainstorm the low-flying Intruder skimmed the top of the mesa and barely impacted a small ridge, causing it to skid along the terrain for over a quarter mile, killing both crewmen.

 

A photo of A-6 Bureau Number 149941


A long hike; the truck is parked by the base of the mountain in the center-right. Standing where the plane first hit, looking into the valley where it came to rest. Outer wing panel. General debris area.

 

This component housed avionics equipment. Some avionics are in relatively good shape. A data tag confirming the plane's identity. The main spar and landing gear.

 

The survival container- located under under the ejection seat. One of the aircraft's panels. A scope for navigating or sighting in on a target. One of the crewmen's lapboards.

 

A rudder pedal. Canopy release handle. Rear portion of the cockpit. Take-off checklist.

 

A thermos holder. A pilot's name stencilied on the cockpit. The other pilot's name. The intruder's unique windscrene.

 

One of the main gear. The Navy painted almost everything with yellow paint to ID this as a known crash The roller brush used to apply the yellow paint. The canopy's rear view mirrors.

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